Between hectic schedules and the distractions of events, it’s all too easy to put off essential 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 only 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
A clear connection between mental decline and untreated hearing loss has been established by scientists and researchers. This underscores the crucial importance of not delaying treatment, as it can have adverse effects on your brain function too.
The impact on hearing
Obviously, it’s evident that putting off treatment for hearing loss isn’t conducive to maintaining your auditory health. By avoiding appointments with a hearing specialist or holding off on the purchase of hearing aids, you inadvertently subject your ears to additional damage.
You may find yourself constantly increasing the volume on your various devices, worsening the damage to your ears and speeding up the development of hearing loss. Hearing aids can boost specific frequencies of sound thereby slowing down the development of hearing loss.
The link to cognitive function
There’s a direct connection between your sense of hearing and your brain. Research indicates that neglected hearing loss can have substantial repercussions on mental function. Over time, cognitive decline can be exacerbated by depression and anxiety caused by social isolation.
Also, the recovery of healthy hearing function can be complicated because untreated 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
The brain’s remarkable 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 extended untreated hearing loss.
But it is possible to reverse this effect. In both the short and the long term, utilizing hearing aids can bring significant benefits even if you’ve put off on getting treatment for some time.
Make an appointment with a hearing specialist
While quick treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to tackle hearing loss. Making an appointment with us as soon as possible is essential, ensuring you can enjoy better hearing and cognitive function moving forward. Call today!
