Between 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 even find yourself hesitating to get hearing aids altogether. However, delaying treatment for hearing loss is far more than just a mistake concerning your ears alone.
The connection to cognitive decline
Scientists have demonstrated a clear connection between untreated hearing loss and mental decline. This underscores the crucial importance of not delaying treatment, as it can have adverse effects on your mental function too.
The impact on hearing
If you care about your hearing health, it’s important to never disregard any symptoms of hearing loss. You unintentionally cause more damage to your hearing if you put off on getting a hearing exam or hearing aids if you need them.
The development of your hearing loss will be quickened if you constantly need to crank up the volume on your devices. Using a hearing aid can help alleviate this by selectively amplifying specific frequencies, thereby delaying the advancement of hearing loss.
The connection to cognitive function
Your brain and your hearing are intricately connected. Research shows that untreated hearing loss can have significant consequences on mental function. Over time, cognitive decline can be exacerbated by depression and anxiety caused by social separation.
Also, the restoration of healthy 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
The brain’s remarkable ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity, is both a friend and a foe in this scenario. The brain will have a hard time reverting back to its previous state after it rewires itself to accommodate for extended untreated hearing loss.
But it is possible to reverse this effect. Despite previous delays in getting treatment, using hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still yield substantial benefits in both the short and long term.
Give us a call for an appointment
While timely treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to address hearing loss. Making an appointment with us as soon as possible is crucial, ensuring you can enjoy better hearing and cognitive function going forward. Call today!
