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. However, putting off on treatment for hearing loss is far more than just a mistake concerning your ears alone.
Untreated hearing loss can result in a greater risk of cognitive decline
Scientists have demonstrated 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
Naturally, it’s evident that putting off treatment for hearing loss isn’t conducive to maintaining your auditory health. You inadvertently cause more harm to your hearing if you delay getting a hearing test or hearing aids if you need them.
You may find yourself constantly increasing the volume on your various devices, worsening the damage to your ears and speeding up the progression of hearing loss. Wearing a hearing aid can help mitigate this by selectively amplifying specific frequencies, thereby slowing down the advancement of hearing loss.
The link between untreated hearing loss and cognitive function
Your brain and your hearing are closely linked. Mental function can be seriously impacted by neglected hearing loss according to some significant research. Social isolation, frequently a consequence of diminished hearing, can result in mental health problems like depression and anxiety, which in turn can exacerbate mental decline over time.
Furthermore, long-term untreated hearing loss prompts 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
The brain’s amazing ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity, is both a friend and a foe in this situation. The brain will have a hard time reverting back to its previous state after it rewires itself to accommodate for extended neglected hearing loss.
However, it’s not impossible to reverse these effects. In both the short and the long term, utilizing hearing aids can bring considerable benefits even if you’ve held off on getting treatment for some time.
Give us a call for an appointment
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 seek help. If you’re ready to enjoy better hearing and stronger mental function, call us today for an assessment!