Putting off on important appointments, like your hearing aid fitting, is all too easy amongst the hustle and bustle of day-to-day events. You may not even get around to shopping for hearing aids whatsoever. However, delaying treatment for hearing loss is far more than just a misstep concerning your ears alone.
The link to mental decline
A clear link between cognitive decline and neglected hearing loss has been established by scientists and researchers. This is one reason why delaying treatment is never a good plan.
Hearing loss will get worse if it’s neglected
If you care about the health of your hearing, 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 additional damage.
You may find yourself continually boosting the volume on your various devices, exacerbating the damage to your ears and accelerating the development of hearing loss. Hearing aids can boost specific frequencies of sound thereby delaying the progression of hearing loss.
The connection between untreated hearing loss and cognitive function
Your brain and your hearing are closely connected. Research shows that neglected hearing loss can have considerable repercussions on cognitive function. Social isolation, often a consequence of diminished hearing, can lead to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, which in turn can exacerbate cognitive decline over time.
Also, the restoration of normal 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
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 difficult time reverting back to its previous state after it rewires itself to accommodate for extended neglected hearing loss.
However, it isn’t impossible to reverse these effects. Despite previous delays in seeking treatment, utilizing hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still provide significant benefits in both the short and long term.
Set up an appointment with a hearing specialist
You should obviously find treatment as soon as possible, but even if you’ve put off for a while, it’s not too late to seek help. Scheduling an appointment with us as soon as possible is important, ensuring you can enjoy improved hearing and mental function going forward. Call today!
