Putting off on important appointments, like your hearing aid fitting, is all too easy amongst the hustle and bustle of daily events. You may not even get around to shopping for hearing aids whatsoever. But hearing loss affects more than only your ears and delaying treatment can have negative effects on your whole life.
Neglected hearing loss can result in a greater risk of mental decline
Scientists have established a clear connection between untreated hearing loss and mental decline. This is one reason why delaying treatment is never a good plan.
Hearing loss will worsen if it goes untreated
If you care about your hearing health, it’s important to never ignore any symptoms of hearing loss. You inadvertently cause more harm to your hearing if you delay getting a hearing exam or hearing aids if you need them.
You may find yourself continually increasing the volume on your various devices, worsening the damage to your ears and speeding up the development of hearing loss. Hearing aids can increase specific frequencies of sound thereby slowing down the progression of hearing loss.
The connection between untreated hearing loss and cognitive function
There’s a close connection between your sense of hearing and your brain. Research indicates that neglected hearing loss can have substantial 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 adapt 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 situation. While it allows for flexibility and restoration, prolonged neglected hearing loss can lead to significant rewiring of the brain, making it difficult to revert to previous functionality.
However, it isn’t impossible to undo these effects. Despite previous delays in seeking treatment, using hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still provide substantial benefits in both the short and long term.
Give us a call for an appointment
While prompt treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to tackle hearing loss. If you’re ready to enjoy better hearing and stronger mental function, call us today for an assessment!