Putting off on important appointments, like your hearing aid fitting, is all too easy amidst the hustle and bustle of daily events. You may even find yourself hesitating to get hearing aids altogether. But hearing loss impacts more than only your ears and delaying treatment can have detrimental effects on your whole life.
The link to mental decline
Scientists have demonstrated a clear connection between untreated hearing loss and cognitive decline. This is one reason why delaying treatment is never a good plan.
The impact on hearing
Naturally, it’s evident that delaying treatment for hearing loss isn’t conducive to maintaining your auditory health. 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 advancement of your hearing loss will be quickened if you continuously need to crank up the volume on your devices. Hearing aids can amplify specific frequencies of sound thereby slowing down the development of hearing loss.
The connection between neglected hearing loss and cognitive function
Your brain and your hearing are intricately linked. Research shows that neglected hearing loss can have substantial consequences on cognitive function. Over time, cognitive decline can be exacerbated by depression and anxiety caused by social isolation.
Also, the recovery 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 situation, 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 sustained neglected hearing loss.
However, it isn’t impossible to undo these effects. Despite previous delays in seeking treatment, using hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still yield substantial benefits in both the short and long term.
Call us for an appointment
You should obviously find treatment as soon as you can, 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!