Amidst hectic schedules and the distractions of events, it’s all too easy to put off essential appointments, such as those with a hearing specialist or for a hearing aid fitting. You may not even get around to shopping for hearing aids whatsoever. However, putting off on treatment for hearing loss is a lot more than just a misstep concerning your ears alone.
The connection to mental decline
Scientists have demonstrated a clear link between untreated hearing loss and cognitive decline. This underscores the crucial importance of not delaying treatment, as it can have negative effects on your mental function too.
The impact on hearing
If you care about the health of your hearing, it’s important to never disregard any symptoms of hearing loss. You unintentionally cause more harm to your hearing if you delay getting a hearing exam or hearing aids if you need them.
The development of your hearing loss will be accelerated if you constantly need to crank up the volume on your devices. Hearing aids can amplify specific frequencies of sound thereby delaying the advancement of hearing loss.
The link to mental function
Your brain and your hearing are closely linked. Cognitive function can be seriously impacted by neglected hearing loss according to some substantial research. Social solitude, often a consequence of diminished hearing, can lead to mental health issues including depression and anxiety, which in turn can worsen mental decline over time.
Furthermore, prolonged neglected hearing loss causes the brain to adapt by reallocating resources from auditory processing to other functions, such as visual processing, potentially complicating the restoration of normal hearing function later on.
Navigating neuroplasticity
The brain’s remarkable ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity, is both a friend and a foe in this situation. While it allows for flexibility and recovery, prolonged neglected hearing loss can lead to considerable rewiring of the brain, making it challenging to revert to previous functionality.
However, it isn’t impossible to reverse these effects. In both the short and the long term, utilizing hearing aids can bring considerable benefits even if you’ve held off on getting treatment for some time.
Make an appointment with a hearing specialist
You should obviously find treatment as soon as possible, but even if you’ve delayed for a while, it’s not too late to seek help. Scheduling an appointment with us as soon as you can is important, ensuring you can enjoy better hearing and mental function going forward. Call today!
