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 even find yourself hesitating to get hearing aids altogether. But hearing loss affects more than only your ears and holding off on treatment can have detrimental effects on your entire life.
The link to cognitive decline
A clear connection between cognitive decline and untreated hearing loss has been established by scientists and researchers. This underscores the critical importance of not delaying treatment, as it can have negative effects on your brain 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. By avoiding appointments with a hearing specialist or holding off on the purchase of hearing aids, you unintentionally subject your ears to additional damage.
The development of your hearing loss will be quickened if you continuously need to crank up the volume on your devices. Hearing aids can boost specific frequencies of sound thereby slowing down the progression of hearing loss.
The connection to cognitive function
There’s a direct connection between your sense of hearing and your brain. Cognitive function can be severely impacted by untreated hearing loss according to some substantial research. Over time, cognitive decline can be worsened by depression and anxiety brought on by social separation.
Furthermore, prolonged neglected hearing loss prompts the brain to adapt by reallocating resources from auditory processing to other functions, such as visual processing, potentially complicating the restoration of normal hearing function later on.
Navigating neuroplasticity
The brain’s remarkable ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity, is both a friend and a foe in this scenario. While it allows for flexibility and recovery, sustained untreated hearing loss can lead to considerable rewiring of the brain, making it difficult to revert to previous functionality.
However, it isn’t impossible to reverse these effects. In both the short and the long term, using hearing aids can bring significant benefits even if you’ve put off on getting treatment for some time.
Give us a call for an appointment
While timely treatment is ideal, it’s never too late to address hearing loss. If you’re ready to enjoy improved hearing and stronger cognitive function, call us today for an assessment!