Amidst 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 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 entire life.
Untreated hearing loss can result in a higher risk of mental decline
Scientists have proven a clear connection between neglected hearing loss and cognitive decline. This is one reason why delaying treatment is never a good plan.
Hearing loss will worsen if it goes untreated
If you care about your hearing health, it’s essential to never disregard any symptoms of hearing loss. You unintentionally cause more harm to your hearing if you delay getting a hearing exam or hearing aids if you need them.
The development of your hearing loss will be quickened if you continuously need to crank up the volume on your devices. Hearing aids can boost specific frequencies of sound thereby slowing down the advancement of hearing loss.
The connection between untreated hearing loss and cognitive function
There’s a close connection between your sense of hearing and your brain. Research indicates that neglected hearing loss can have substantial repercussions on mental function. Over time, mental decline can be exacerbated by depression and anxiety caused by social isolation.
Furthermore, long-term untreated hearing loss causes the brain to adapt by reallocating resources from processing sound to other functions, such as visual processing, potentially complicating the restoration of healthy hearing function down the road.
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 difficult to return to previous functionality.
However, it’s not impossible to undo these effects. Despite previous delays in seeking treatment, utilizing hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still provide significant benefits in both the short and long term.
Make an appointment with a hearing specialist
You should obviously find treatment as soon as you can, but even if you’ve put off for a while, it’s not too late to get help. If you’re ready to enjoy better hearing and stronger mental function, call us today for an assessment!