Your brain can be helped by dealing with your hearing loss. At least, that’s according to a new study by a group of researchers out of the University of Manchester. These researchers examined a group of around 2000 participants over the course of nearly twenty years (1996 to 2014). The surprising results? Managing your hearing loss can slow dementia by up to 75%.
That is not an insignificant number.
But is it really that surprising? That’s not to detract from the weight of the finding, of course, this is an important statistical connection between the struggle against dementia and the treatment of hearing loss. But the information we already have coordinates with these findings: treating your hearing loss is imperative to slowing dementia as you get older.
How am I Impacted by This Research?
Scientific studies can be perplexing and inconsistent (should I eat eggs, should I not eat eggs? How about wine? Will that help me live longer?). There are lots of unrelated reasons for this. The bottom line is: this new research is yet another piece of evidence that implies untreated loss of hearing can result in or exacerbate mental decline including dementia.
So for you personally, what does this mean? In many ways, it’s pretty basic: you should come see us as soon as possible if you’ve observed any loss of hearing. And, if you need a hearing aid, you need to definitely start wearing that hearing aid as directed.
When You Use Them Correctly, Hearing Aids Can Help Forestall Dementia
Unfortunately, not everyone falls right into the habit of using a prescribed pair of hearing aids. The often cited reasons why include:
- Peoples voices are difficult to understand. Your brain doesn’t always instantly adjust to understanding voices. We can recommend things to do to help make this endeavor easier, such as reading along with an audiobook.
- The way that the hearing aid is supposed to work, doesn’t seem to be the way it’s currently working. 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 concerns you. Today, we have a lot of types available which may surprise you. Also, many hearing aid styles are designed to be very unobtrusive.
- The hearing aid doesn’t feel as if it fits well. If you are suffering from this problem, please get in touch with us. We can help make it fit better.
Clearly wearing your hearing aids is essential to your health and future mental abilities. We can help if you’re trying to cope with any of the above. Sometimes the answer will take time or patience, but consulting your hearing specialist to ensure your hearing aids are working for you is a part of the process.
And taking into consideration these new findings, treating your hearing loss is more important than ever. Hearing aids are safeguarding your hearing health and your mental health so it’s essential to be serious about treatment.
Hearing Aids And Dementia, What’s The Link?
So why are these two conditions dementia and hearing loss even connected in the first place? Social solitude is the leading theory but scientists are not completely certain. When dealing with loss of hearing, some people isolate themselves socially. Sensory stimulation is the foundation of another theory. Over the years, if a person loses sensory stimulation, like hearing loss, the brain gets less activity which then leads to mental decline.
Your hearing aid will help you hear better. And that can help keep your brain active, offering a more robust natural defense against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why a connection between the two should not be surprising and why hearing loss treatments can slow down dementia by up to 75%.
