Amidst hectic schedules and the disruptions of events, it’s all too simple to put off essential appointments, like 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 far more than just a mistake concerning your ears alone.
The connection to cognitive decline
Scientists have established a clear link between neglected hearing loss and cognitive decline. This is one reason why delaying treatment is never a good plan.
The impact on hearing
If you care about the health of your hearing, it’s essential to never ignore any symptoms of hearing loss. You unintentionally cause more harm to your hearing if you put off on getting a hearing test or hearing aids if you need them.
You may find yourself constantly boosting the volume on your various devices, worsening the damage to your ears and accelerating the development of hearing loss. Hearing aids can increase specific frequencies of sound thereby delaying the progression of hearing loss.
The connection to cognitive function
There’s a close link between your sense of hearing and your brain. Research indicates that untreated hearing loss can have considerable consequences on cognitive function. Over time, mental decline can be worsened by depression and anxiety caused by social isolation.
Moreover, prolonged untreated hearing loss causes the brain to adapt by reallocating resources from processing sound to other functions, such as visual processing, potentially complicating the restoration of healthy hearing function later on.
Navigating neuroplasticity
In this scenario, neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to adapt, can be both a friend and a foe. While it allows for flexibility and restoration, extended untreated hearing loss can result in significant rewiring of the brain, making it difficult to return to previous functionality.
But it is possible to undo this effect. Despite 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.
Make an appointment with a hearing specialist
You should obviously seek treatment as soon as possible, but even if you’ve put off 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 cognitive function moving forward. Call today!
