Have you ever left a hearing test with normal readings but still struggled to hear conversations, particularly in noisy eateries, crowded events, or busy workplaces? If this is the case, be certain you are not wrong. You could be affected by a condition known as hidden hearing loss, a type of auditory impairment often missed by standard hearing tests.
This type of hearing loss is a genuine and growingly acknowledged medical condition. Experts think this condition could affect up to one-tenth of people who present with hearing difficulties. Even though standard audiograms cannot 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 which is a result of harm to the inner ear’s hair cells (stereocilia)—hidden hearing loss does not affect the ear structure in a typical fashion. Instead, it originates from impairment in the synapses connecting the inner ear and the auditory nerve. The role of these synapses is to send information about sound from the ear to the brain.
When these neural connections become impaired, often due to extended exposure to loud sounds, the signal sent to the brain becomes broken. This is akin to a broken communication chain or a static-filled radio signal: chunks of the message vanish as they travel, especially within challenging sound settings where speech and background noise interfere.
Standard audiometric exams focus on pure tone detection in quiet, meaning they frequently cannot show problems with the brain’s processing of sound in actual environments. Therefore, the very nature of hidden hearing loss is that it remains masked by standard, normal hearing test scores.
Common signs and symptoms of hidden hearing loss
While a standard exam result may be normal, a number of signs can point to hidden hearing loss. Recognizing these signs is the first step toward getting the help you need:
- It might seem like people are mumbling, or you frequently miss key words or syllables in a conversation.
- Noisy environments overwhelm you. It is very tiring to keep up with dialogue in noisy settings, such as parties, public events, or restaurants, regardless of how much you concentrate.
- You tend to have conversations one-on-one in quiet settings. Your brain can process speech with greater clarity when there is minimal background interference.
- Even with clear test results, you continue to sense that something is amiss. A passing result may bring confusion rather than comfort when you continue experiencing difficulty in daily life.