Your workplace recently adopted the trend of open-office floor plans, promoting collaboration and teamwork. However, you find yourself struggling in this new configuration. Not because you miss the privacy of cubicle walls, but because the elevated noise makes it hard to follow conversations.
The inability to follow conversations in loud environments frequently serves as an early indicator of hearing loss, in spite of conventional hearing tests producing normal results. This suggests that having “normal” hearing doesn’t guarantee the capacity to comprehend speech effectively.
Speech comprehension is a complex cognitive task that demands considerable brainpower. Distinguishing speech from background noise and focusing on specific voices amidst a cacophony of sounds requires optimal hearing capabilities.
As hearing starts to go, the brain faces difficulties in separating and processing speech signals amidst competing sounds. As a result, it becomes mentally fatiguing to be in noisy settings like restaurants and busy offices.
How to recognize the early signs of hearing loss
Here are a number of ways that early hearing loss can manifest:
- Difficulty understanding conversations in noisy environments.
- Increased mental exhaustion as a result of heightened concentration required for listening.
- Distraction and reduced engagement in social interactions.
Hearing loss examinations
It can be particularly difficult to identify these kinds of challenges when traditional hearing diagnostics appear to show normal hearing. Here are a couple of tests being formulated by scientists to identify hearing loss in its early stages:
- 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 particular way while you’re in a crowded or loud setting, that could be a strong indication of some issues with your hearing.
- The Eye Test: A special pair of glasses is utilized in this test. The movement and dilation of your pupils can be tracked with these glasses. If you’re concentrating a bit harder than normal your pupils will behave in a specific way. So if this tends to occur in crowded or noisy areas, it could be a sign that you’re having to strain to hear.
These tests, in conjunction with personal observations, attempt to detect hearing problems at their nascent stages, aiding early intervention.
The benefits of early detection
There are two significant advantages to early detection.
- Mental decline associated with untreated hearing loss can be prevented with early detection.
- It provides clarity regarding challenges faced in environments like open offices, mitigating potential frustrations.
Think about finding help if you’re having difficulty understanding speech even with “normal” hearing.
Total cognitive function and auditory health will be improved by early detection. Schedule a hearing test today and explore options right for you.