Your workplace recently adopted the trend of open-office floor plans, encouraging cooperation and teamwork. However, you find yourself having difficulties in this new configuration. It’s because the increased noise is making it challenging to follow along with conversation and not because you miss the privacy of cubical walls.
The inability to follow conversations in noisy environments often serves as an early indicator of hearing loss, in spite of conventional hearing exams producing normal results. You still may have trouble discerning conversations even with “Normal” hearing.
Speech comprehension is a complex cognitive process that requires considerable brainpower. Optimal hearing abilities are required to differentiate voices in noisy environments.
It becomes increasingly challenging for the brain to isolate speech in loud settings as we get older. Consequently, settings like busy offices or crowded restaurants become mentally exhausting.
Recognizing hearing loss when it’s in its early phases
Here are a few ways that early hearing loss can manifest:
- The brain needs to work extra hard to comprehend speech causing increased mental fatigue.
- Social isolation.
- Trouble understanding conversations in loud environments.
Hearing loss assessments
Detecting such difficulties can be challenging, especially when traditional diagnostics suggest normal hearing. However, researchers are looking at innovative tests to identify early signs of hearing loss:
- Monitoring Electrical Signals: The electrical signal sent from your ears to your brain is monitored by an EEG in this test. If these signals fluctuate in a particular way while you’re in a crowded or loud environment, that could be a firm indication of some problems with your hearing.
- The Eye Test: A special set of glasses is used in this test. These glasses can track the movement and dilation of your pupils. If you’re concentrating a little harder than usual your pupils will react in a specific way. So if this tends to occur in crowded or noisy areas, it could be an indication that you’re having to strain to hear.
These tests, in conjunction with personal observations, aim to detect hearing problems at their emergent phases, aiding early intervention.
What are the benefits of early detection?
Discovering even slight hearing loss early provides two considerable advantages.
- It provides clarity with regard to difficulties faced in environments like open offices, alleviating potential aggravations.
- Dealing with hearing loss quickly prevents cognitive decline related to neglected hearing impairments.
Consider finding help if you’re having difficulty understanding speech even with “normal” hearing.
Total cognitive function and auditory health will be improved by early diagnosis. Contact us today and let us help you with any hearing loss you might have.
