Amidst hectic schedules and the distractions of events, it’s all too easy to put off essential appointments, like those with a hearing specialist or for fitting hearing aids. You might not even get around to shopping for hearing aids at all. But hearing loss affects more than just your ears and delaying treatment can have detrimental effects on your whole life.
The link to cognitive decline
A clear connection between mental decline and neglected hearing loss has been demonstrated by scientists and researchers. This underscores the critical importance of not holding off on treatment, as it can have adverse effects on your mental function also.
Hearing loss will get worse if it goes untreated
If you care about your hearing health, it’s important to never disregard any symptoms of hearing loss. By avoiding appointments with a hearing specialist or holding off on the purchase of hearing aids, you unintentionally subject your ears to further damage.
You may find yourself continually increasing the volume on your various devices, exacerbating the damage to your ears and speeding up the development of hearing loss. Using a hearing aid can help mitigate this by selectively amplifying specific frequencies, thereby delaying the advancement of hearing loss.
The connection to cognitive function
Your brain and your hearing are closely linked. Research shows that neglected hearing loss can have considerable consequences on mental function. Social solitude, frequently a consequence of weakened hearing, can result in mental health problems including depression and anxiety, which in turn can worsen mental decline over time.
Furthermore, long-term untreated hearing loss prompts the brain to adapt by reallocating resources from processing sound to other functions, such as visual processing, potentially complicating the restoration of normal hearing function down the road.
Navigating neuroplasticity
The brain’s amazing ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity, is both a friend and a foe in this scenario. While it allows for flexibility and recovery, prolonged neglected hearing loss can lead to significant rewiring of the brain, making it difficult to revert to previous functionality.
But it is possible to reverse this effect. In both the short and the long term, making use of hearing aids can bring significant benefits even if you’ve put off on getting treatment for some time.
Make an appointment with a hearing specialist
While timely treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to address hearing loss. Scheduling an appointment with us as soon as possible is crucial, ensuring you can enjoy better hearing and cognitive function going forward. Call today!
