Your workplace has opted to promote teamwork and collaboration by opening up the office floor plan. However, you find yourself having difficulties in this new setup. It’s because the increased noise is making it difficult to follow along with conversation and not because you miss the privacy of cubical walls.
The inability to follow conversations in noisy environments frequently serves as an early indicator of hearing loss, despite conventional hearing tests yielding normal outcomes. This indicates that having “normal” hearing doesn’t guarantee the ability to comprehend speech effectively.
The complexity of speech perception
Speech comprehension is a complex mental task that involves significant brainpower. Differentiating speech from background noise and focusing on specific voices amongst a cacophony of sounds requires optimal hearing capabilities.
As hearing starts to go, the brain encounters challenges in isolating and processing speech signals amongst competing noises. As a result, it becomes mentally exhausting to be in loud environments like restaurants and bustling offices.
Recognizing hearing loss when it’s in its early stages
Early signs of hearing loss manifest in various ways:
- Social isolation.
- Problems understanding conversations in noisy environments.
- Increased mental exhaustion due to heightened concentration required for listening.
Hearing loss assessments
Uncovering such difficulties can be challenging, particularly when conventional diagnostics indicate normal hearing. Here are a couple of tests being developed by scientists to diagnose hearing loss in its early phases:
- Monitoring Electrical Signals: In this test, a device tracks the electrical EEG signals transmitted by your ears to your brain. It will be a potent sign that you’re having some hearing trouble if these signals change in a specific way when you’re in a crowded place.
- The Eye Test: A special set of glasses is used in this test. The movement and dilation of your pupils can be monitored with these glasses. If your pupils behave in a particular way, it implies that you’re concentrating a bit harder than usual. But it could be an indication that you’re straining to hear if this happens in a loud setting.
These tests, coupled with personal observations, aim to identify hearing problems at their emergent stages, aiding early intervention.
The benefits of early detection
Discovering even slight hearing loss early has two substantial advantages.
- Mental decline related to untreated hearing loss can be prevented with early detection.
- It alleviates frustration by supplying clarity about the difficulties of being in places like open office plans.
If you’re experiencing difficulty following conversations despite “normal” hearing, think about getting a professional assessment.
Early diagnosis assures timely intervention, enhancing total auditory health and cognitive function. Give us a call today and let us help you with any hearing loss you may have.