Treating your hearing loss can be good for your brain. At least, that’s according to a new study by a group of analysts out of the University of Manchester. These researchers considered a team of around 2000 participants over a time period of nearly 2 decades (1996 to 2014). The outstanding results? Dealing with your loss of hearing can delay dementia by up to 75%.
That is not a small figure.
Nevertheless, it’s not really all that surprising. That’s not to detract from the significance of the finding, of course, that kind of statistical relationship between hearing loss treatment and the struggle against dementia is important and shocking. But it aligns well with what we already know: as you get older, it’s essential to treat your loss of hearing if you want to hold off cognitive decline.
What Does This Research on Dementia Mean For me?
Scientific research can be inconsistent and confusing (should I eat eggs, shouldn’t I eat eggs? What about wine? Will that help me live longer?). The reasons for that are lengthy, diverse, and not all that pertinent to our topic here. Because here’s the bottom line: yet further proof, this research reveals untreated hearing loss can lead to or worsen mental decline including dementia.
So for you personally, what does this indicate? In certain ways, it’s pretty straight forward: you should come see us right away if you’ve observed any hearing loss. And, if you need a hearing aid, you need to definitely begin using that hearing aid as directed.
When You Use Them Correctly, Hearing Aids Can Prevent Dementia
Regrettably, not everybody falls directly into the habit of using a prescribed pair of hearing aids. The often cited reasons why include:
- It’s challenging to make out voices. In many cases, it takes time for your brain to adapt to hearing voices again. We can recommend things to do to help make this endeavor easier, such as reading along with an audiobook.
- 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 worries you. You’d be surprised at the range of designs we have available nowadays. Some styles are so discreet, you might not even see them.
- The hearing aid isn’t feeling as if it fits well. If you are experiencing this problem, please contact us. We can help make it fit better.
Your future cognitive abilities and even your health as a whole are clearly affected by wearing hearing aids. If you’re having difficulties with any of the above, get in touch with us for an adjustment. Consulting your hearing specialist to make sure your hearing aids are working for you is just part of the process and it calls for time and patience.
It’s more significant than ever to manage your hearing loss particularly in the light of the new evidence. Be serious about the treatment because hearing aids are protecting your hearing and your mental health.
What’s The Connection Between Hearing Aids And Dementia?
So why are these two problems dementia and hearing loss even connected to begin with? Analysts themselves aren’t completely certain, but some theories are related to social solitude. Many people, when dealing with loss of hearing, become less socially involved. Sensory stimulation is the foundation of another theory. Over the years, if a person loses sensory stimulation, such as hearing loss, the brain gets less activity which then causes mental decline.
Your hearing aid helps you hear better. And that can help keep your brain active, delivering a more robust natural safeguard against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why taking care of hearing loss can slow dementia by as much as 75% percent and why it shouldn’t be unexpected that there is a link between the two.