Between hectic schedules and the disruptions of events, it’s all too simple to put off important appointments, such as those with a hearing specialist or for fitting hearing aids. You may even find yourself hesitating to order hearing aids altogether. But hearing loss affects more than only your ears and delaying treatment can have negative effects on your whole life.
Neglected hearing loss can lead to a greater risk of cognitive decline
Scientists have demonstrated a clear connection between neglected hearing loss and mental decline. This underscores the crucial importance of not holding off on treatment, as it can have adverse effects on your mental function also.
The impact on hearing
If you care about your hearing health, it’s important to never neglect any symptoms of hearing loss. By avoiding appointments with a hearing specialist or delaying the purchase of hearing aids, you unintentionally subject your ears to further damage.
The advancement of your hearing loss will be quickened if you constantly need to crank up the volume on your devices. Hearing aids can amplify specific frequencies of sound thereby delaying the progression of hearing loss.
The connection between neglected hearing loss and cognitive function
There’s a close connection between your sense of hearing and your brain. Mental function can be severely impacted by neglected hearing loss according to some substantial research. Over time, mental decline can be worsened by depression and anxiety brought on by social separation.
Also, the restoration of normal hearing function can be complicated because untreated hearing loss will force the brain to adapt by reallocating mental resources from other functions, such as visual processes, over to auditory processes.
Navigating neuroplasticity
In this situation, neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to adapt, can be both a friend and a foe. While it allows for flexibility and restoration, prolonged untreated hearing loss can result in considerable rewiring of the brain, making it challenging to return to previous functionality.
However, it’s not impossible to undo these effects. In spite of previous delays in getting treatment, utilizing hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still deliver significant benefits in both the short and long term.
Call us for an appointment
You should obviously find treatment as soon as you can, but even if you’ve delayed for a while, it’s not too late to get help. If you’re ready to enjoy improved hearing and stronger cognitive function, call us today for an assessment!