Amidst hectic schedules and the disruptions of events, it’s all too easy to put off important appointments, like those with a hearing specialist or for a hearing aid fitting. You might not even get around to shopping for hearing aids at all. However, putting off on treatment for hearing loss is a lot more than just a mistake concerning your ears alone.
The connection to mental decline
Scientists have demonstrated a clear connection between neglected hearing loss and mental decline. This underscores the crucial importance of not delaying treatment, as it can have adverse effects on your mental function also.
Hearing loss will get worse if it’s neglected
If you care about the health of your hearing, it’s essential to never neglect any symptoms of hearing loss. You unintentionally cause more damage to your hearing if you put off on getting a hearing test or hearing aids if you need them.
You might find yourself constantly increasing the volume on your various devices, worsening the damage to your ears and speeding up the development of hearing loss. Hearing aids can amplify particular frequencies of sound thereby slowing down the development of hearing loss.
The connection to mental function
There’s a direct connection between your sense of hearing and your brain. Cognitive function can be severely impacted by neglected hearing loss according to some significant research. Over time, cognitive decline can be worsened by depression and anxiety brought on by social isolation.
Furthermore, long-term neglected 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 normal 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. While it allows for flexibility and restoration, prolonged untreated hearing loss can result in considerable 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, using hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still deliver significant benefits in both the short and long term.
Call us for an appointment
You should obviously seek treatment as soon as you can, but even if you’ve put off for a while, it’s not too late to get help. If you’re ready to enjoy improved hearing and stronger mental function, call us today for an assessment!