Between hectic schedules and the distractions of events, it’s all too easy to put off important appointments, like those with a hearing specialist or for a hearing aid fitting. You might not even get around to shopping for hearing aids at all. But hearing loss affects more than just your ears and holding off on treatment can have negative effects on your entire life.
Untreated hearing loss can result in a greater risk of cognitive decline
A clear connection between cognitive decline and untreated hearing loss has been established by scientists and researchers. This underscores the crucial importance of not holding off on treatment, as it can have negative effects on your brain function also.
The impact on hearing
If you care about your hearing health, it’s important to never disregard 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 additional damage.
The development of your hearing loss will be quickened if you continuously need to crank up the volume on your devices. Wearing a hearing aid can help mitigate this by selectively amplifying particular frequencies, thereby slowing down the progression of hearing loss.
The link to cognitive function
There’s a close link between your sense of hearing and your brain. Mental function can be seriously 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.
Furthermore, long-term neglected hearing loss prompts 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 later on.
Navigating neuroplasticity
The brain’s amazing ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity, is both a friend and a foe in this scenario. The brain will have a difficult time reverting back to its previous state after it rewires itself to accommodate for sustained untreated hearing loss.
However, it’s not impossible to reverse these effects. In spite of previous delays in seeking treatment, using hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still yield significant benefits in both the short and long term.
Call us for an appointment
You should obviously find treatment as soon as possible, but even if you’ve put off for a while, it’s not too late to seek help. If you’re ready to enjoy improved hearing and stronger cognitive function, call us today for an assessment!
