Your workplace has opted to promote teamwork and cooperation by opening up the office floor plan. But this new setup has become difficult for you. Not because you miss the privacy of cubicle walls, but because the increased noise makes it hard to follow conversations.
Even if mainstream hearing tests indicate perfectly normal hearing, the inability to hear conversations in loud environments is frequently an early sign of hearing loss. You still may have trouble discerning conversations even with “Normal” hearing.
Considerable brain power is required to carry out the complex task of speech comprehension. Optimal hearing abilities are necessary to differentiate voices in noisy environments.
It becomes increasingly challenging for the brain to isolate speech in loud settings as we get older. Because of this, it becomes mentally exhausting to be in loud environments like restaurants and busy offices.
Identifying hearing loss when it’s in its early stages
Early signs of hearing loss manifest in a variety of ways:
- When in loud settings, conversations are difficult to understand.
- Distraction and decreased engagement in social interactions.
- Increased mental fatigue due to heightened concentration needed for listening.
Hearing loss examinations
It can be particularly hard to detect these types of challenges when standard hearing diagnostics seem to reveal normal hearing. Here are some tests being developed by scientists to diagnose hearing loss in its early phases:
- The Eye Test: For this test, you wear 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 implies that you’re concentrating a bit harder than usual. So if this tends to happen in crowded or noisy areas, it could be a sign that you’re having to strain to hear.
- Monitoring Electrical Signals: In this test, a device monitors the electrical EEG signals transmitted by your ears to your brain. If these signals change in a specific way while you’re in a crowded or loud environment, that could be a strong indication of some problems with your hearing.
These tests, coupled with personal observations, attempt to detect hearing issues at their nascent phases, facilitating early intervention.
What are the advantages of early detection?
There are two important benefits to early detection.
- It reduces aggravation by providing clarity about the challenges of being in places like open office plans.
- Addressing hearing loss quickly prevents mental decline related to neglected hearing impairments.
Consider finding help if you’re having difficulty understanding speech even with “normal” hearing.
Early detection ensures timely intervention, enhancing total auditory health and mental function. Schedule a hearing exam today and look into options right for you.
