Amidst hectic schedules and the disruptions of events, it’s all too easy to put off important appointments, like those with a hearing specialist or for fitting hearing aids. You may not even get around to shopping for hearing aids at all. However, putting off on treatment for hearing loss is far more than just a misstep concerning your ears alone.
The connection to mental decline
A clear link between cognitive 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 adverse effects on your mental function too.
The impact on hearing
If you care about the health of your hearing, it’s essential to never neglect 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 further damage.
You might find yourself constantly boosting the volume on your various devices, exacerbating the damage to your ears and speeding up the development of hearing loss. Using a hearing aid can help alleviate this by selectively amplifying particular frequencies, thereby delaying the development of hearing loss.
The connection to cognitive function
Your brain and your hearing are closely linked. Cognitive function can be seriously impacted by neglected hearing loss according to some substantial research. Over time, cognitive decline can be worsened by depression and anxiety caused by social separation.
Also, the restoration of normal hearing function can be complicated because neglected hearing loss will force the brain to adapt 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. While it allows for flexibility and recovery, sustained untreated hearing loss can result in considerable rewiring of the brain, making it difficult to return to previous functionality.
But it is possible to reverse this effect. 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
You should obviously find treatment as soon as possible, but even if you’ve delayed for a while, it’s not too late to get help. Scheduling an appointment with us as soon as you can is essential, ensuring you can enjoy improved hearing and cognitive function going forward. Call today!
