Putting off on essential appointments, like your hearing aid fitting, is all too easy amidst the hustle and bustle of day-to-day events. You might even find yourself hesitating to get hearing aids altogether. But hearing loss impacts more than just your ears and holding off on treatment can have detrimental effects on your whole life.
Neglected hearing loss can lead to a higher risk of cognitive decline
A clear connection between mental decline and untreated hearing loss has been demonstrated by scientists and researchers. This underscores the critical importance of not holding off on treatment, as it can have adverse effects on your brain function also.
Hearing loss will worsen if it goes untreated
Obviously, it’s evident that putting off treatment for hearing loss isn’t conducive to preserving your auditory health. You inadvertently cause more damage to your hearing if you put off on getting a hearing exam or hearing aids if you need them.
You might find yourself constantly boosting the volume on your various devices, worsening the damage to your ears and accelerating the development of hearing loss. Hearing aids can increase particular frequencies of sound thereby slowing down the progression of hearing loss.
The connection between untreated hearing loss and mental function
Your brain and your hearing are closely connected. Mental function can be seriously impacted by neglected hearing loss according to some substantial research. Social isolation, often a consequence of weakened hearing, can lead to mental health issues like depression and anxiety, which in turn can exacerbate mental decline over time.
Also, the recovery of healthy hearing function can be complicated because untreated 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
In this scenario, neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to adapt, can be both a friend and a foe. While it allows for flexibility and recovery, extended neglected hearing loss can lead to significant rewiring of the brain, making it difficult to return to previous functionality.
However, it’s not impossible to undo these effects. Despite previous delays in seeking treatment, using hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still provide substantial benefits in both the short and long term.
Call us for an appointment
While timely treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to tackle hearing loss. If you’re ready to enjoy better hearing and stronger cognitive function, call us today for an assessment!