Between hectic schedules and the disruptions of events, it’s all too easy to put off important appointments, such as those with a hearing specialist or for fitting hearing aids. You may even find yourself hesitating to get hearing aids altogether. But hearing loss impacts more than just your ears and delaying treatment can have detrimental effects on your whole life.
Untreated hearing loss can lead to a higher risk of mental decline
A clear link between cognitive decline and neglected hearing loss has been demonstrated by scientists and researchers. This is one reason why delaying treatment is never a good plan.
Hearing loss will worsen if it goes untreated
Obviously, it’s evident that delaying treatment for hearing loss isn’t conducive to preserving your auditory health. 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 amplify specific frequencies of sound thereby slowing down the progression of hearing loss.
The connection to cognitive function
Your brain and your hearing are intricately linked. Research shows that untreated hearing loss can have substantial consequences on mental function. Social solitude, frequently a consequence of diminished hearing, can result in mental health problems like depression and anxiety, which in turn can exacerbate mental decline over time.
Moreover, prolonged neglected hearing loss causes the brain to adapt by reallocating resources from auditory processing 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 situation. The brain will have a hard time reverting back to its previous state after it rewires itself to accommodate for extended untreated hearing loss.
However, it isn’t impossible to undo these effects. Despite previous delays in getting treatment, utilizing hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still yield substantial benefits in both the short and long term.
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 seek help. If you’re ready to enjoy improved hearing and stronger cognitive function, call us today for an assessment!