Between hectic schedules and the distractions of events, it’s all too simple to put off important appointments, like those with a hearing specialist or for fitting hearing aids. You might not even get around to shopping for hearing aids whatsoever. But hearing loss impacts more than just your ears and holding off on treatment can have detrimental effects on your entire life.
The link to mental decline
A clear connection between mental decline and neglected hearing loss has been established by scientists and researchers. This is one reason why delaying treatment is never a good plan.
The impact on hearing
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 put off on getting a hearing test or hearing aids if you need them.
You may find yourself constantly increasing 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 to mental function
Your brain and your hearing are closely connected. Research shows that untreated hearing loss can have substantial consequences on cognitive function. Social solitude, often a consequence of diminished hearing, can result in mental health problems including depression and anxiety, which in turn can exacerbate mental decline over time.
Furthermore, prolonged untreated hearing loss causes 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 down the road.
Navigating neuroplasticity
The brain’s phenomenal 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 prolonged untreated hearing loss.
However, it’s not impossible to reverse these effects. In spite of previous delays in getting treatment, using hearing aids as prescribed by a specialist can still deliver significant benefits in both the short and long term.
Call us for an appointment
You should obviously find treatment as soon as you can, but even if you’ve put off 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!