Putting off on essential appointments, like your hearing aid fitting, is all too easy amidst the hustle and bustle of day-to-day events. You may not even get around to shopping for hearing aids at all. However, delaying treatment for hearing loss is a lot more than just a misstep concerning your ears alone.
The link to cognitive decline
A clear connection between mental decline and untreated hearing loss has been established by scientists and researchers. 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 essential to never ignore any symptoms of hearing loss. By avoiding appointments with a hearing specialist or holding off on the purchase of hearing aids, you unintentionally subject your ears to additional damage.
The advancement of your hearing loss will be quickened if you continuously need to crank up the volume on your devices. Hearing aids can boost particular frequencies of sound thereby slowing down the advancement of hearing loss.
The link between untreated hearing loss and cognitive function
Your brain and your hearing are intricately connected. Research shows that untreated hearing loss can have substantial consequences on cognitive function. Over time, mental decline can be exacerbated by depression and anxiety brought on by social isolation.
Moreover, 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 recovery of normal hearing function down the road.
Navigating neuroplasticity
The brain’s amazing ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity, is both a friend and a foe in this situation. While it allows for flexibility and recovery, sustained neglected hearing loss can lead to significant rewiring of the brain, making it challenging to return to previous functionality.
However, it’s not impossible to undo these effects. In spite of previous delays in seeking treatment, using hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still yield substantial benefits in both the short and long term.
Set up an appointment with a hearing specialist
While quick treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to deal with hearing loss. If you’re ready to enjoy better hearing and stronger mental function, call us today for an assessment!
