Have you gotten a normal score on an audiogram but continue to find it hard to understand speech in complex settings like packed rooms or busy dining areas? When this occurs, you are not just misunderstanding. It’s possible you have hidden hearing loss, a hearing issue that conventional screening methods fail to detect.
Hidden hearing loss is a real and more and more acknowledged issue. Experts believe this condition could impact up to one-tenth of people who present with hearing challenges. Even though standard audiograms fail to detect it, the difficulty in listening that comes with this condition is very real.
What is hidden hearing loss?
In contrast to regular sensorineural hearing loss—caused by damage to the inner ear’s hair cells (stereocilia)—hidden hearing loss does not impact the ear structure in a typical fashion. The condition is caused by injury to the neural pathways, or synapses, between the inner ear and the auditory nerve. The transmission of sound from the ear to the brain depends on these synapses.
When these neural connections become compromised, often due to extended exposure to loud noises, the signal sent to the brain becomes incomplete. This is akin to a broken communication chain or a static-filled radio signal: chunks of the message get lost as they travel, especially within challenging sound settings where speech and background noise overlap.
As standard tests primarily measure how well the ear hears tones in a quiet space, they might not show the difficulties your brain has with processing sound in the real world. Therefore, the very nature of hidden hearing loss is that it is masked by standard, normal hearing test scores.
Signs that may indicate hidden hearing loss
Even if standard tests show no problems, certain behavioral patterns can point toward hidden hearing loss. The first step in getting the needed support is to recognize these signs:
- Conversations might sound like people are speaking unclearly, and you miss essential words or parts of words regularly. You get the impression that people are talking unclearly, leading you to frequently miss key words or syllables.
- Noisy environments exhaust you. Following a conversation in places like bars, social gatherings, or public events becomes tiring, even with deep focus.
- You prefer to have conversations one-on-one in quiet settings. The lack of background noise allows your brain to more clearly process spoken words.
- Despite passing hearing tests, you still have the feeling that an issue exists. A passing result may bring confusion rather than comfort when you continue experiencing difficulty in daily life.
It’s essential to note that these symptoms can, in some cases, be mistaken for cognitive or attention issues, especially in children or young adults. However, current research reveals a strong link between the effort needed to process incomplete sound signals and a resulting fatigue from listening.
Diagnosing hidden hearing loss: What to expect
Audiology is still at the beginning stages of researching hidden hearing loss. Making a diagnosis is often difficult because the problem stems from the nerve connections, not the ear organ itself. Currently, most hearing care providers rely on a complete review of the patient’s history and symptoms to make an educated assessment, even though some encouraging diagnostic methods, including tests that track brainwave responses or eye movements to sound, are in development.
If you identify with any of the signs above, it’s important to share these experiences with a hearing specialist, even if you’ve recently passed a hearing exam.
Can hidden hearing loss be treated? Treatment options
There is no single, absolute treatment for hidden hearing loss yet, but many people benefit from advanced hearing technology. In demanding environments, communication can be vastly improved by modern hearing aids that feature directional microphones, noise-filtering, and advanced speech-processing capabilities.
Listening therapy and auditory training, when utilized in addition to hearing aids, may allow your brain to adapt and improve its sound-processing capabilities.
Don’t delay: Consult a hearing care professional
The frustration of hidden hearing loss is often compounded when normal hearing tests do not confirm what you are dealing with. It may not be simple to measure, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s real and manageable.
If you are finding it hard to hear clearly in daily life settings, even with normal test results, you should arrange an evaluation with a hearing care professional who understands hidden hearing loss. Getting the correct support can help you regain confidence in social situations and improve your overall quality of life.
The first step to clearer hearing is to make an appointment today.
