Amidst hectic schedules and the distractions of events, it’s all too easy to put off essential appointments, such as those with a hearing specialist or for a hearing aid fitting. You may not even get around to shopping for hearing aids at all. However, putting off on treatment for hearing loss is a lot more than just a mistake concerning your ears alone.
Neglected hearing loss can result in a greater risk of mental decline
A clear link between cognitive decline and untreated hearing loss has been demonstrated 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.
Hearing loss will get worse if it’s neglected
If you care about your hearing health, it’s important to never ignore any symptoms of hearing loss. You inadvertently cause more damage to your hearing if you delay getting a hearing test or hearing aids if you need them.
You may find yourself continually increasing the volume on your various devices, exacerbating the damage to your ears and speeding up the development of hearing loss. Wearing a hearing aid can help alleviate this by selectively amplifying particular frequencies, thereby delaying the development of hearing loss.
The link to cognitive function
There’s a close connection between your sense of hearing and your brain. Research shows that untreated hearing loss can have substantial consequences on mental function. Social isolation, frequently a consequence of weakened hearing, can result in mental health problems like depression and anxiety, which in turn can exacerbate cognitive decline over time.
Also, the recovery of healthy hearing function can be complicated because neglected 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
In this scenario, neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to adapt, can be both a friend and a foe. 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. In spite of previous delays in getting treatment, using hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still provide significant benefits in both the short and long term.
Schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist
While prompt treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to tackle hearing loss. Scheduling an appointment with us as soon as possible is crucial, ensuring you can enjoy better hearing and cognitive function moving forward. Call today!
