Amidst hectic schedules and the disruptions of events, it’s all too simple to put off important appointments, like those with a hearing specialist or for a hearing aid fitting. You might even find yourself hesitating to order hearing aids altogether. But hearing loss affects more than only your ears and delaying treatment can have detrimental effects on your entire life.
Neglected hearing loss can result in a greater risk of cognitive decline
A clear link between cognitive decline and neglected hearing loss has been demonstrated by scientists and researchers. This underscores the crucial importance of not delaying treatment, as it can have negative effects on your brain function as well.
Hearing loss will get worse if it’s neglected
Naturally, it’s evident that putting off treatment for hearing loss isn’t conducive to maintaining your auditory health. You inadvertently cause more damage to your hearing if you delay getting a hearing examination or hearing aids if you need them.
The progression of your hearing loss will be accelerated if you continuously need to crank up the volume on your devices. Hearing aids can boost particular frequencies of sound thereby delaying the development of hearing loss.
The connection between neglected hearing loss and cognitive function
There’s a close link between your sense of hearing and your brain. Research shows that untreated hearing loss can have significant repercussions on mental function. Over time, mental decline can be worsened by depression and anxiety brought on by social separation.
Furthermore, prolonged untreated hearing loss causes the brain to adapt by reallocating resources from auditory processing to other functions, such as visual processing, potentially complicating the recovery of healthy hearing function later on.
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 hard 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. In both the short and the long term, making use of hearing aids can bring significant benefits even if you’ve put off on getting treatment for some time.
Give us a call for an appointment
While quick treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to address hearing loss. Scheduling an appointment with us as soon as possible is important, ensuring you can enjoy better hearing and cognitive function going forward. Call today!