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

Your brain can be benefited by treating your hearing loss. At least, that’s according to a new study by a team of analysts from the University of Manchester. Over the period of about 20 years (1996 to 2014), nearly 2000 men and women were examined by these researchers. The outstanding findings? Dementia can be slowed by up to 75% by managing your hearing loss.

That is not an insignificant figure.

But is it actually that surprising? That’s not to detract from the importance of the finding, of course, that type of statistical correlation between hearing loss treatment and the fight against dementia is important and shocking. But it aligns well with what we currently know: as you get older, it’s vital to treat your loss of hearing if you want to delay dementia.

How am I Impacted by This Research?

You can’t always rely on the content provided in scientific research because it can frequently be inconsistent. There are lots of unrelated reasons for this. Because here’s the main point: yet another piece of evidence, this research indicates neglected loss of hearing can result in or worsen cognitive decline including dementia.

So for you personally, what does this imply? It’s very simple in many ways: if you’ve noticed any possible signs of hearing loss, schedule an appointment with us as soon as you can. And you should start using that hearing aid as advised if you discover you need one.

When You Wear Them Correctly, Hearing Aids Can Counter Dementia

Regrettably, not everyone falls right into the habit of using a prescribed pair of hearing aids. Some of the reasons why are:

  • You’re anxious about how hearing aids appear. Nowadays, we have a lot of types available which may surprise you. In addition, many hearing aid styles are designed to be very discreet.
  • It’s challenging to understand voices. Your brain doesn’t always instantly adapt to hearing voices. We can recommend things to do to help make this endeavor easier, like reading along with a book recording.
  • The hearing aid doesn’t feel like it works as advertised. Many people need to have their settings adjusted, and calibration problems are definitely something that can be addressed.
  • The hearing aid doesn’t feel as if it fits properly. If you are suffering from this problem, please give us a call. We can help make it fit better.

Your future mental faculties and even your overall health are undoubtedly impacted by wearing hearing aids. We can help if you’re having difficulties with any of the above. Sometimes the answer will take time or patience, but working with us to make sure your hearing aids are working for you is a part of the process.

It’s more significant than ever to take care of your loss of hearing especially taking into consideration the new findings. Hearing aids are defending your hearing health and your mental health so it’s important to be serious about treatment.

What’s The Connection Between Dementia And Hearing Aids?

So why are these two problems loss of hearing and dementia even associated in the first place? Scientists themselves aren’t completely sure, but some theories are associated with social solitude. Some people, when dealing with loss of hearing, become less socially involved. A different theory has to do with sensory stimulation. With time, if a person loses sensory stimulation, such as hearing loss, the brain receives less activity which then causes mental decline.

Your hearing aid will help you hear better. And that can help keep your brain active, creating a more robust natural safeguard against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why a link between the two shouldn’t be unexpected and why hearing loss treatments can slow dementia by up to 75%.

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.