Your brain can be helped by treating your hearing loss. At least, that’s according to a new study by a team of researchers out of the University of Manchester. These researchers looked at a team of more than 2000 individuals over the course of approximately twenty years (1996 to 2014). The striking outcome? Dementia can be slowed by as much as 75% by treating loss of hearing.
That’s a significant number.
And yet, it’s not really all that surprising. That’s not to detract from the weight of the finding, of course, that kind of statistical correlation between hearing loss treatment and the battle against dementia is important and stunning. But it aligns well with what we already know: treating your loss of hearing is imperative to slowing cognitive decline as you age.
What Does This Research on Dementia Mean For me?
Scientific studies can be perplexing and inconsistent (should I eat eggs, shouldn’t I eat eggs? How about wine? Will drinking wine help me live longer?). There are lots of unrelated reasons for this. Because here’s the bottom line: this new study is yet further proof that indicates neglected loss of hearing can lead to or exacerbate cognitive decline including dementia.
So for you personally, what does this mean? It’s simple in some ways: if you’ve noticed any possible symptoms of hearing loss, come see us in the near future. And, if you require a hearing aid, you should definitely begin using that hearing aid as advised.
When You Use Them Correctly, Hearing Aids Can Forestall Dementia
Sadly, not everybody falls right into the habit of wearing a prescribed pair of hearing aids. Some of the reasons why are:
- Peoples voices are difficult to understand. Your brain doesn’t always instantly adjust to hearing voices. We can suggest things to do to help make this process go more smoothly, like reading along with a book recording.
- 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 by our hearing specialists.
- You’re concerned about how hearing aids look. These days, we have a lot of types available which might amaze you. Additionally, many hearing aid styles are designed to be very discreet.
- The hearing aid doesn’t feel as if it fits properly. If you are suffering from this problem, please contact us. They can fit better and we’re here to help.
Clearly wearing your hearing aids is crucial to your health and future cognitive faculties. We can help if you’re struggling with any of the above. Quite often the answer will take time or patience, but consulting your hearing specialist to make sure your hearing aids work for you is just part of the process.
It’s more important than ever to treat your hearing loss specifically taking into consideration the new evidence. Hearing aids are safeguarding your hearing health and your mental health so it’s essential to be serious about treatment.
Dementia And Hearing Aids, What’s The Connection?, What’s The Relationship?
So why are these two conditions loss of hearing and dementia even connected in the first place? Social isolation is the prominent theory but experts are not completely sure. When dealing with hearing loss, some people hide themselves away socially. Sensory stimulation is the basis of another theory. Over time, if a person loses sensory stimulation, like hearing loss, the brain receives less activity which then causes mental decline.
Your hearing aid helps you hear better. And that can help keep your brain active, supplying a more powerful natural defense against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why a connection between the two shouldn’t be unexpected and why hearing loss treatments can slow dementia by up to 75%.