Your brain can be benefited by dealing with your loss of hearing. At least, that’s according to a new study from a University of Manchester research team. Over the period of about 20 years (1996 to 2014), nearly 2000 people were evaluated by these researchers. The unexpected outcome? Managing your hearing loss can slow down dementia by as much as 75%.
That’s a significant number.
But still, it’s not all all that surprising. That’s not to take away from the importance of the finding, of course, that type of statistical correlation between hearing loss treatment and the battle against dementia is noteworthy and eye-popping. But it coordinates well with what we already know: treating your hearing loss is essential to slowing cognitive decline as you age.
How am I Impacted by This Research?
Scientific research can be contradictory and perplexing (should I eat eggs, shouldn’t I eat eggs? What about wine? Will drinking wine help me live longer?). There are many unrelated reasons for this. The main point here is: yet further proof, this research reveals untreated hearing loss can result in or worsen cognitive decline including dementia.
So what does this indicate for you? It’s simple in many ways: you need to set up an appointment with us right away if you’ve noticed any loss of hearing. And, if you need a hearing aid, you need to definitely begin using that hearing aid as advised.
Hearing Aids Assist in Preventing Dementia When You Wear Them Regularly
Regrettably, not everybody falls directly into the practice of wearing a prescribed pair of hearing aids. Some of the reasons why are:
- You’re concerned about how hearing aids appear. Today, we have a lot of designs available which may surprise you. Additionally, many hearing aid styles are designed to be very unobtrusive.
- The hearing aid doesn’t seem 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.
- The hearing aid isn’t feeling like it fits very well. If you are experiencing this problem, please contact us. They can fit better and we’re here to help.
- It’s challenging to make out voices. Your brain doesn’t always instantly adjust to hearing voices. There are some things we can suggest, like reading along with an audiobook, that can help make this process go more smoothly.
Your future mental abilities and even your health in general are obviously affected by wearing hearing aids. We can help if you’re trying to cope with any of the above. At times the solution will take time or patience, but we will work with you to make sure your hearing aids are working for you.
It’s more important than ever to take care of your hearing loss specifically taking into consideration the new findings. Hearing aids are safeguarding your hearing health and your mental health so it’s important to be serious about treatment.
Hearing Aids And Dementia, What’s The Relationship?
So what’s the real link between hearing loss and dementia? Social isolation is the leading theory but experts are not 100% certain. When suffering from loss of hearing, some people hide themselves away socially. Yet another theory has to do with sensory stimulation. All senses trigger activity in the brain, and some researchers theorize that the loss of stimulation can cause cognitive decline over time.
Your hearing aid allows you to hear better. Offering a natural defense for your brain against cognitive decline and helping to keep your brain active. That’s why a connection between the two should not be unexpected and why hearing loss treatments can delay dementia by as much as 75%.