Amidst hectic schedules and the disruptions of events, it’s all too easy to put off essential appointments, like those with a hearing specialist or for a hearing aid fitting. You may not even get around to shopping for hearing aids at all. However, delaying treatment for hearing loss is a lot more than just a mistake concerning your ears alone.
The connection to cognitive decline
A clear link between cognitive decline and untreated hearing loss has been established by scientists and researchers. This is one reason why delaying treatment is never a good plan.
Hearing loss will get worse if it’s neglected
If you care about the health of your hearing, it’s important to never neglect 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 additional damage.
The development of your hearing loss will be accelerated if you continuously need to crank up the volume on your devices. Wearing a hearing aid can help alleviate this by selectively amplifying particular frequencies, thereby slowing down the progression of hearing loss.
The link to cognitive function
Your brain and your hearing are intricately linked. Research indicates that untreated hearing loss can have significant repercussions on mental function. Social isolation, frequently a consequence of diminished hearing, can lead to mental health issues like depression and anxiety, which in turn can worsen mental decline over time.
Moreover, 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 recovery of healthy hearing function down the road.
Navigating neuroplasticity
In this situation, neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to adapt, can be both a friend and a foe. The brain will have a hard time reverting back to its previous state after it rewires itself to accommodate for sustained neglected hearing loss.
However, it’s not impossible to undo these effects. Despite previous delays in getting treatment, using hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still provide significant benefits in both the short and long term.
Set up an appointment with a hearing specialist
While timely treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to address hearing loss. If you’re ready to enjoy improved hearing and stronger mental function, call us today for an assessment!