Between hectic schedules and the distractions of events, it’s all too easy to put off essential appointments, like those with a hearing specialist or for fitting hearing aids. You might even find yourself hesitating to order hearing aids altogether. However, putting off on treatment for hearing loss is a lot more than just a mistake concerning your ears alone.
Untreated hearing loss can lead to a higher risk of mental decline
A clear link between mental decline and neglected hearing loss has been established by scientists and researchers. This underscores the critical importance of not holding off on treatment, as it can have adverse effects on your mental function as well.
Hearing loss will get worse if it goes untreated
If you care about your hearing health, it’s essential to never disregard any symptoms of hearing loss. You inadvertently cause more damage to your hearing if you delay getting a hearing exam or hearing aids if you need them.
You might find yourself constantly boosting the volume on your various devices, exacerbating the damage to your ears and speeding up the development of hearing loss. Wearing a hearing aid can help alleviate this by selectively amplifying specific frequencies, thereby delaying the progression of hearing loss.
The connection between neglected hearing loss and cognitive function
There’s a close connection between your sense of hearing and your brain. Mental function can be severely impacted by untreated hearing loss according to some substantial research. Over time, mental decline can be exacerbated by depression and anxiety caused by social isolation.
Also, the restoration of normal 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 prolonged untreated hearing loss.
But it is possible to reverse this effect. In both the short and the long term, using hearing aids can bring considerable benefits even if you’ve held off on getting treatment for some time.
Make an appointment with a hearing specialist
You should obviously seek treatment as soon as you can, but even if you’ve delayed for a while, it’s not too late to get help. If you’re ready to enjoy better hearing and stronger mental function, call us today for an assessment!