Taking care of your hearing loss can be good for your brain. At least, that’s according to a new study out of a University of Manchester research team. These researchers considered a group of more than 2000 individuals over the course of just about 2 decades (1996 to 2014). The unexpected outcome? Managing your hearing loss can slow down dementia by as much as 75%.
That’s a substantial figure.
Nevertheless, it’s not all that unexpected. The significance of the finding, of course, is still relevant, this is an important statistical connection between the struggle against cognitive decline and the treatment of hearing loss. But the information we already have aligns well with these findings: as you get older, it’s essential to treat your hearing loss if you want to slow down cognitive decline.
How am I Impacted by This Research?
Scientific research can be perplexing and inconsistent (should I eat eggs, shouldn’t I eat eggs? What about wine? Will drinking wine help me live longer?). The reasons for that are long, diverse, and not all that pertinent to our topic here. The main point here is: this new research is yet another piece of evidence that indicates untreated loss of hearing can result in or worsen cognitive decline including dementia.
So what does this mean for you? In some ways, it’s pretty simple: if you’ve noticed any potential symptoms of hearing loss, come see us in the near future. And you need to begin using that hearing aid as advised if you find out you need one.
Hearing Aids Help Prevent Dementia When You Use Them Regularly
Unfortunately, when most people are prescribed with hearing aids, they don’t always instantly get into the habit of using them. Some of the reasons why are:
- You’re worried about how hearing aids appear. These days, we have lots of designs available which may surprise you. Also, many hearing aid models are created to be very discreet.
- Voices are difficult to make out. Your brain doesn’t always instantly adapt to understanding voices. There are some things we can suggest, including reading along with an audiobook, that can help make this endeavor easier.
- 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.
- The hearing aid isn’t feeling like it fits properly. If you are suffering from this issue, please contact us. We can help make it fit better.
Your future mental faculties and even your overall health are clearly impacted by wearing hearing aids. If you’re having difficulties with any of the above, come see us for an adjustment. At times the solution will take patience and time, but working with your hearing professional to ensure your hearing aids work for you is a part of the process.
It’s more significant than ever to treat your hearing loss especially taking into consideration the new evidence. Take the treatment seriously because hearing aids are protecting your hearing and your mental health.
Hearing Aids And Dementia, What’s The Relationship?
So what’s the actual connection between dementia and hearing loss? Analysts themselves aren’t completely sure, but some theories are associated with social solitude. Many people, when dealing with hearing loss, become less socially involved. Sensory stimulation is the foundation of another theory. In time, if a person loses sensory stimulation, like hearing loss, the brain gets less activity which then causes mental decline.
You hear better with a hearing aid. 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 shouldn’t be surprising and why hearing loss treatments can slow dementia by up to 75%.
