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 fitting hearing aids. You might even find yourself hesitating to order hearing aids altogether. But hearing loss affects more than just your ears and holding off on treatment can have negative effects on your whole life.
The connection to mental decline
A clear connection between mental decline and neglected hearing loss has been demonstrated by scientists and researchers. This underscores the crucial importance of not holding off on treatment, as it can have adverse effects on your brain function as well.
Hearing loss will worsen if it’s neglected
Naturally, it’s evident that putting off treatment for hearing loss isn’t conducive to preserving your auditory health. By avoiding appointments with a hearing specialist or delaying the purchase of hearing aids, you inadvertently subject your ears to additional damage.
The development of your hearing loss will be quickened if you constantly need to crank up the volume on your devices. Hearing aids can boost specific frequencies of sound thereby delaying the development of hearing loss.
The connection to mental function
Your brain and your hearing are intricately linked. Research shows that untreated hearing loss can have substantial repercussions on cognitive function. Social isolation, often a consequence of diminished hearing, can result in mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, which in turn can worsen mental decline over time.
Also, the recovery of healthy hearing function can be complicated because neglected hearing loss will force the brain to adapt by reallocating mental resources from other functions, such as visual processes, over to auditory processes.
Navigating neuroplasticity
The brain’s amazing ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity, is both a friend and a foe in this scenario. The brain will have a difficult time reverting back to its previous state after it rewires itself to accommodate for extended neglected hearing loss.
But it is possible to undo this effect. In both the short and the long term, using hearing aids can bring considerable benefits even if you’ve held off on getting treatment for some time.
Call us for an appointment
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. If you’re ready to enjoy improved hearing and stronger cognitive function, call us today for an assessment!