Amidst hectic schedules and the distractions of events, it’s all too easy to put off essential appointments, such as those with a hearing specialist or for a hearing aid fitting. You may not even get around to shopping for hearing aids at all. But hearing loss impacts more than only your ears and holding off on treatment can have detrimental effects on your whole life.
The connection to mental decline
Scientists have proven a clear link between untreated hearing loss and mental decline. This is one reason why delaying treatment is never a good plan.
The impact on hearing
Obviously, it’s evident that putting off treatment for hearing loss isn’t helpful for preserving your auditory health. By avoiding appointments with a hearing specialist or holding off on the purchase of hearing aids, you inadvertently subject your ears to additional damage.
The advancement 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 mitigate this by selectively amplifying specific frequencies, thereby delaying the advancement of hearing loss.
The connection to mental function
Your brain and your hearing are intricately linked. Cognitive function can be severely impacted by neglected hearing loss according to some significant research. Over time, cognitive decline can be worsened by depression and anxiety brought on by social separation.
Moreover, prolonged neglected 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 later on.
Navigating neuroplasticity
The brain’s remarkable ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity, is both a friend and a foe in this scenario. While it allows for flexibility and recovery, prolonged untreated hearing loss can result in significant rewiring of the brain, making it challenging to return to previous functionality.
However, it’s not impossible to undo these effects. In both the short and the long term, using hearing aids can bring significant benefits even if you’ve put off on getting treatment for some time.
Give us a call for an appointment
While prompt treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to address hearing loss. Making an appointment with us as soon as possible is essential, ensuring you can enjoy improved hearing and mental function moving forward. Call today!