Hearing Health Blog

Woman with hearing loss tuning out to the people around her and starting to have cognitive decline.

Your brain can be benefited by taking care of your hearing loss. At least, that’s according to a new study by a group of researchers from the University of Manchester. Over the period of about 20 years (1996 to 2014), nearly 2000 individuals were studied by these scientists. The surprising outcome? Dementia can be slowed by as much as 75% by managing your hearing loss.

That’s a considerable figure.

But is it actually that surprising? The importance of the finding, of course, is still relevant, this is an important statistical correlation between the struggle against dementia and the treatment of hearing loss. But the insight we already have coordinates with these findings: as you get older, it’s crucial to treat your loss of hearing if you want to slow down dementia.

What Does This Research on Dementia Mean For me?

Scientific studies can be contradictory and perplexing (should I eat eggs, should I not eat eggs? What about wine? Will drinking wine help me live longer?). The reasons for that are lengthy, varied, and not very pertinent to our discussion here. Because here’s the bottom line: yet another piece of evidence, this research suggests untreated loss of hearing can result in or worsen mental decline including dementia.

So for you personally, what does this imply? It’s straightforward in many ways: you need to set up an appointment with us right away if you’ve observed any hearing loss. And you need to begin using that hearing aid as advised if you discover you require one.

When You Wear Them Regularly, Hearing Aids Can Forestall Dementia

Sadly, when people are prescribed with hearing aids, they don’t always instantly get into the habit of using them. The often cited reasons why include:

  • It’s hard to make out voices. In some situations, it takes time for your brain to adjust to hearing voices again. There are things we can recommend, including reading along with an audiobook, that can make this endeavor easier.
  • The hearing aid doesn’t feel like it works the way it should. Many people need to have their settings adjusted, and calibration problems are definitely something that can be addressed by our hearing specialists.
  • The way hearing aids look concerns you. You’d be surprised at the assortment of models we have available currently. Additionally, many hearing aid models are designed to be very unobtrusive.
  • The hearing aid doesn’t feel like it fits comfortably. If you are having this problem, please let us know. We can help make it fit better.

Your future cognitive abilities and even your health as a whole are undoubtedly impacted by wearing hearing aids. If you’re trying to cope with any of the above, get in touch with us for an adjustment. Consulting your hearing professional to make sure your hearing aids are working for you is just part of the process and it demands time and patience.

And in light of these new findings, treating your hearing loss is more significant than ever. Hearing aids are protecting your hearing health and your mental health so it’s vital to be serious about treatment.

Hearing Aids And Dementia, What’s The Relationship?

So what’s the actual link between loss of hearing and dementia? Social isolation is the prominent theory but experts are not completely sure. When coping with loss of hearing, some people seclude themselves socially. Sensory stimulation is the foundation of another theory. All senses stimulate activity in the brain, and some researchers theorize that the loss of stimulation can result in cognitive decline over time.

Your hearing aid helps you hear better. And that can help keep your brain active, supplying a more powerful natural safeguard against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why treating hearing loss can slow dementia by as much as 75% percent and why it shouldn’t be unexpected that there is a connection between the two.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.
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