Between hectic schedules and the distractions of events, it’s all too simple to put off important 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. But hearing loss impacts more than just your ears and holding off on treatment can have detrimental effects on your entire life.
The link to cognitive decline
A clear link 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 negative effects on your mental function also.
The impact on hearing
Naturally, it’s evident that delaying treatment for hearing loss isn’t conducive to maintaining your auditory health. By avoiding appointments with a hearing specialist or delaying the purchase of hearing aids, you inadvertently 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 boost specific frequencies of sound thereby delaying the progression of hearing loss.
The link to mental function
There’s a direct connection between your sense of hearing and your brain. Research shows that neglected hearing loss can have considerable consequences on mental function. Over time, mental decline can be worsened by depression and anxiety caused by social isolation.
Also, the recovery of normal hearing function can be complicated because neglected hearing loss will force the brain to adjust 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. The brain will have a hard time reverting back to its previous state after it rewires itself to accommodate for sustained untreated hearing loss.
However, it’s not impossible to undo these effects. In both the short and the long term, utilizing hearing aids can bring considerable benefits even if you’ve held off on getting treatment for some time.
Make an appointment with a hearing specialist
While prompt treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to deal with hearing loss. Scheduling an appointment with us as soon as you can is essential, ensuring you can enjoy improved hearing and mental function going forward. Call today!