Your workplace has opted to encourage teamwork and cooperation by opening up the office floor plan. However, you find yourself struggling in this new configuration. It’s because the elevated noise is making it hard to follow along with conversation and not because you miss the privacy of cubical walls.
The inability to follow conversations in loud environments frequently acts as an early indicator of hearing loss, despite conventional hearing exams yielding normal results. This indicates that having “normal” hearing doesn’t guarantee the capacity to comprehend speech effectively.
Speech comprehension is a complex cognitive process that requires considerable brainpower. Optimal hearing capabilities are required to differentiate voices in noisy environments.
As hearing begins to decline, the brain faces challenges in separating and processing speech signals amidst competing sounds. Consequently, settings like bustling offices or crowded restaurants become mentally exhausting.
How to recognize the early signs of hearing loss
Here are a few ways that early hearing loss can manifest:
- Difficulty understanding conversations in loud environments.
- Distraction and decreased engagement in social interactions.
- Increased mental fatigue as a result of heightened concentration required for listening.
Hearing loss tests
It can be particularly difficult to identify these types of difficulties when traditional hearing diagnostics seem to show normal hearing. Here are a couple of tests being developed by researchers to diagnose hearing loss in its early phases:
- Monitoring Electrical Signals: The electrical signal transmitted from your ears to your brain is monitored by an EEG in this test. If these signals fluctuate in a certain way while you’re in a crowded or noisy environment, that could be a firm indication of some issues with your hearing.
- The Eye Test: For this diagnostics, you put on a special pair of glasses. These glasses can monitor the movement and dilation of your pupils. If your pupils behave in a specific way, it suggests that you’re concentrating a little harder than normal. So if this tends to happen in crowded or noisy areas, it could be an indication that you’re having to strain to hear.
Early intervention will be possible if these tests, coupled with personal observation, are able to detect hearing issues in their very early stages.
The benefits of early detection
Detecting even minor hearing loss early offers two significant advantages.
- It alleviates frustration by providing clarity about the difficulties of being in settings like open office plans.
- Dealing with hearing loss quickly prevents mental decline related to neglected hearing impairments.
If you’re experiencing trouble following conversations despite “normal” hearing, consider finding a professional assessment.
Overall cognitive function and auditory health will be improved by early detection. Call us today and let us help you with any hearing loss you may have.