Between 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 a hearing aid fitting. You may even find yourself hesitating to get hearing aids altogether. However, delaying treatment for hearing loss is a lot more than just a mistake concerning your ears alone.
The connection to cognitive decline
Scientists have proven a clear link between untreated hearing loss and mental decline. This underscores the crucial importance of not holding off on treatment, as it can have adverse effects on your mental function as well.
The impact on hearing
If you care about your hearing health, it’s important to never neglect any symptoms of hearing loss. By avoiding appointments with a hearing specialist or holding off on the purchase of hearing aids, you inadvertently subject your ears to further damage.
The progression of your hearing loss will be quickened if you constantly need to crank up the volume on your devices. Wearing a hearing aid can help mitigate this by selectively amplifying particular frequencies, thereby slowing down the progression of hearing loss.
The link to mental function
Your brain and your hearing are closely connected. Mental function can be severely impacted by untreated hearing loss according to some significant research. Social isolation, often a consequence of diminished hearing, can result in mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, which in turn can worsen cognitive decline over time.
Also, the restoration of normal 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
The brain’s remarkable 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 sustained untreated hearing loss.
But it is possible to reverse this effect. Despite previous delays in getting treatment, utilizing hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still provide significant benefits in both the short and long term.
Call us for an appointment
You should obviously seek treatment as soon as possible, but even if you’ve delayed for a while, it’s not too late to seek help. Making an appointment with us as soon as you can is important, ensuring you can enjoy better hearing and mental function going forward. Call today!