Your workplace has decided to encourage 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 increased noise makes it difficult to follow conversations.
Even if mainstream hearing tests indicate totally normal hearing, the inability to hear conversations in noisy environments is often an early sign of hearing loss. This indicates that having “normal” hearing doesn’t guarantee the capacity to comprehend speech effectively.
The complexity of speech perception
Significant brain power is needed to undertake the complex task of speech comprehension. Optimal hearing capabilities are necessary to differentiate voices in loud environments.
As hearing begins to go, the brain encounters challenges in isolating and processing speech signals amidst competing sounds. As a result, settings like bustling offices or crowded restaurants become mentally fatiguing.
Recognizing hearing loss when it’s in its early stages
Here are a number of ways that early hearing loss can manifest:
- The brain needs to work overtime to comprehend speech causing increased mental exhaustion.
- Problems understanding conversations in loud environments.
- Distraction and decreased engagement in social interactions.
Hearing loss examinations
Uncovering such difficulties can be challenging, especially when traditional diagnostics indicate normal hearing. Here are a couple of tests being formulated by scientists to diagnose hearing loss in its early phases:
- 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 your pupils react in a specific way, it suggests that you’re concentrating a little harder than normal. So if this tends to occur in crowded or loud 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 sent by your ears to your brain. It will be a potent sign that you’re having some hearing trouble if these signals fluctuate in a particular way when you’re in a crowded location.
Early intervention will be possible if these tests, coupled with personal observation, are able to identify hearing problems in their very early stages.
What are the benefits of early detection?
Discovering even slight hearing loss early has two substantial advantages.
- It alleviates aggravation by supplying clarity about the challenges of being in places like open office plans.
- Addressing hearing loss quickly prevents mental decline related to untreated hearing impairments.
If you’re experiencing difficulty following conversations despite “normal” hearing, think about finding a professional assessment.
Overall mental 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.