Your workplace has chosen to promote teamwork and cooperation by opening up the office floor plan. But this new arrangement has become a struggle for you. Not because you miss the privacy of cubicle walls, but because the elevated noise makes it hard to follow conversations.
The inability to follow along with conversations in noisy environments frequently serves as an early indicator of hearing loss, despite conventional hearing exams producing normal outcomes. You still may have trouble discerning conversations even with “Normal” hearing.
Speech comprehension is a complex mental process that requires considerable brainpower. Distinguishing speech from background noise and focusing on specific voices amongst a cacophony of sounds requires optimal hearing capabilities.
As hearing begins to go, the brain encounters difficulties in separating and processing speech signals amongst competing noises. As a result, it becomes mentally fatiguing to be in noisy settings like restaurants and busy offices.
How to identify the early signs of hearing loss
Here are a number of ways that early hearing loss can manifest:
- The brain has to work overtime to comprehend speech leading to increased mental tiredness.
- Social isolation.
- When in noisy settings, conversations are hard to make out.
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 stages 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 change in a particular way while you’re in a crowded or loud setting, that could be a firm indication of some problems with your hearing.
- The Eye Test: For this test, you put on a special set of glasses. These glasses can track the movement and dilation of your pupils. If you’re concentrating a bit harder than usual your pupils will react in a specific way. But it may be a sign that you’re straining to hear if this occurs in a noisy setting.
Early intervention will be possible if these tests, along with personal observation, are able to identify hearing issues in their very early stages.
What are the benefits of early detection?
Detecting even minor hearing loss early offers two significant advantages.
- Mental decline related to neglected hearing loss can be prevented with early detection.
- It offers clarity with regard to challenges faced in settings like open offices, mitigating potential aggravations.
If you’re experiencing trouble following conversations despite “normal” hearing, think about finding a professional assessment.
Early detection ensures 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.
