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 may not even get around to shopping for hearing aids at all. But hearing loss impacts more than only your ears and delaying treatment can have detrimental effects on your entire life.
The link to cognitive decline
Scientists have proven a clear link between untreated hearing loss and cognitive decline. This is one reason why delaying treatment is never a good plan.
Hearing loss will worsen if it’s neglected
If you care about the health of your hearing, it’s important to never ignore any symptoms of hearing loss. You unintentionally cause more harm to your hearing if you delay getting a hearing test or hearing aids if you need them.
You may find yourself continually increasing the volume on your various devices, exacerbating the damage to your ears and accelerating the development of hearing loss. Hearing aids can increase particular frequencies of sound thereby slowing down the advancement of hearing loss.
The link to cognitive function
There’s a direct connection between your sense of hearing and your brain. Research indicates that neglected hearing loss can have substantial consequences on cognitive function. Over time, cognitive decline can be worsened by depression and anxiety brought on by social isolation.
Furthermore, prolonged untreated hearing loss prompts 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 restoration, sustained neglected hearing loss can lead to significant rewiring of the brain, making it challenging to return to previous functionality.
But it is possible to undo this effect. In spite of previous delays in getting treatment, utilizing hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still provide substantial benefits in both the short and long term.
Set up an appointment with a hearing specialist
While prompt treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to deal with hearing loss. Making an appointment with us as soon as you can is essential, ensuring you can enjoy improved hearing and mental function moving forward. Call today!