Taking care of your loss of hearing can be helpful for your brain. At least, that’s according to a new study by a group of researchers out of the University of Manchester. Over the period of approximately 20 years (1996 to 2014), nearly 2000 individuals were examined by these scientists. The outstanding findings? Dementia can be slowed by as much as 75% by managing your loss of hearing.
That is not a small figure.
Nevertheless, it’s not all all that unexpected. That’s not to take away from the significance of the finding, of course, this is an important statistical correlation between the struggle against cognitive decline and the treatment of hearing loss. But it aligns well with what we already know: treating your loss of hearing is vital to slowing dementia as you get older.
How am I Impacted by This Research?
Scientific studies can be confusing and inconsistent (should I eat eggs, should I not eat eggs? What about wine? Will drinking wine help me live longer?). The reasons for that are long, varied, and not very pertinent to our discussion here. The main point here is: this new research is yet further proof that implies untreated loss of hearing can lead to or worsen mental decline including dementia.
So for you personally, what does this mean? It’s straightforward in several ways: you need to set up an appointment with us immediately if you’ve observed any hearing loss. And, if you need a hearing aid, you should absolutely begin wearing that hearing aid as directed.
Hearing Aids Assist in Preventing Dementia When You Use Them Correctly
Unfortunately, when people are prescribed with hearing aids, they don’t always instantly get into the habit of wearing them. Some of the reasons why are:
- The hearing aid doesn’t feel as if it fits properly. If you are having this problem, please give us a call. We can help make it fit better.
- You’re anxious about how hearing aids look. You’d be amazed at the wide variety of designs we have available nowadays. Some styles are so subtle, you might not even see them.
- 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.
- Voices are difficult to understand. Your brain doesn’t always immediately adjust to understanding voices. We can recommend things to do to help make this endeavor go more smoothly, like reading along with a book recording.
Obviously using your hearing aids is important to your health and future mental abilities. If you’re struggling with any of the above, come see us for an adjustment. Working with your hearing specialist 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, managing your hearing loss is more significant than ever before. Be serious about the treatment because hearing aids are safeguarding your hearing and your mental health.
Dementia And Hearing Aids, What’s The Connection?, What’s The Relationship?
So why are these two conditions hearing loss and dementia even linked in the first place? Specialists themselves aren’t completely certain, but some theories are associated with social solitude. Some people, when dealing with hearing loss, become less socially active. Another theory relates to sensory stimulation. All senses trigger activity in the brain, and some researchers theorize that losing stimulation can lead to cognitive decline over a period of time.
You hear better when you wear your hearing aid. And that can help keep your brain active, offering a more powerful natural defense against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why a relationship between the two shouldn’t be unexpected and why hearing loss treatments can delay dementia by up to 75%.
