Between hectic schedules and the disruptions of events, it’s all too easy to put off essential appointments, such as those with a hearing specialist or for fitting hearing aids. You might even find yourself hesitating to order hearing aids altogether. But hearing loss affects more than just your ears and holding off on treatment can have detrimental effects on your whole life.
Untreated hearing loss can lead to a higher risk of cognitive decline
Scientists have proven a clear link between neglected hearing loss and mental decline. This is one reason why delaying treatment is never a good plan.
The impact on hearing
If you care about the health of your hearing, it’s important to never neglect any symptoms of hearing loss. You unintentionally cause more harm to your hearing if you delay getting a hearing test or hearing aids if you need them.
You may find yourself continually boosting the volume on your various devices, exacerbating the damage to your ears and speeding up the progression of hearing loss. Hearing aids can boost particular frequencies of sound thereby slowing down the development of hearing loss.
The link to cognitive function
Your brain and your hearing are intricately connected. 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 caused by social separation.
Moreover, prolonged untreated hearing loss prompts the brain to adapt by reallocating resources from auditory processing to other functions, such as visual processing, potentially complicating the recovery of healthy hearing function later on.
Navigating neuroplasticity
The brain’s phenomenal ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity, is both a friend and a foe in this scenario. While it allows for flexibility and recovery, extended neglected hearing loss can lead to significant rewiring of the brain, making it challenging to return 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.
Set up an appointment with a hearing specialist
While timely treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to tackle hearing loss. Making an appointment with us as soon as possible is important, ensuring you can enjoy better hearing and cognitive function going forward. Call today!