Treating your hearing loss can be good for your brain. At least, that’s according to a new study by a team of analysts out of the University of Manchester. These analysts looked at a team of more than 2000 individuals over the course of approximately twenty years (1996 to 2014). The outstanding results? Dementia can be delayed by up to 75% by treating loss of hearing.
That’s a significant figure.
And yet, it’s not really that unexpected. That’s not to detract from the significance of the finding, of course, this is an important statistical connection between the battle against cognitive decline and the treatment of hearing loss. But the information we already have coordinates with these findings: treating your loss of hearing is vital to slowing cognitive decline as you get older.
What Does This Research on Dementia Mean For me?
Scientific studies can be contradictory and perplexing (should I eat eggs, should I not eat eggs? What about wine? Will that help me live longer?). The causes for that are lengthy, diverse, and not very pertinent to our topic here. Because here’s the main point: this new study is yet another piece of evidence that suggests untreated loss of hearing can lead to or worsen cognitive decline including dementia.
So for you personally, what does this indicate? In some ways, it’s quite basic: if you’ve been noticing any possible indications of hearing loss, come see us soon. And, if you need a hearing aid, you should definitely begin wearing that hearing aid as directed.
When You Use Them Regularly, Hearing Aids Can Help Counter Dementia
Sadly, not everyone falls directly into the practice of wearing a prescribed pair of hearing aids. The usual reasons why include:
- You’re worried about how hearing aids look. These days, we have lots of variations available which might surprise you. Some models are so subtle, you might not even see them.
- 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 very well. If you are suffering from this problem, please contact us. We can help make it fit better.
- It’s difficult to understand voices. In some situations, it takes time for your brain to adapt to recognizing voices again. We can recommend things to do to help make this endeavor go more smoothly, such as reading along with a book recording.
Your future mental faculties and even your health in general are undoubtedly affected by wearing hearing aids. We can help if you’re having difficulties with any of the above. At times the solution will take patience and time, but consulting your hearing specialist to make sure your hearing aids work for you is a part of the process.
And in light of these new findings, treating your hearing loss is more important than it ever has been. Be serious about the treatment because hearing aids are defending your hearing and your mental health.
What’s The Connection Between Dementia And Hearing Aids?
So why are these two problems dementia and hearing loss even connected to begin with? Social isolation is the leading theory but scientists are not 100% sure. When coping with loss of hearing, some people hide themselves away socially. Another theory concerns sensory stimulation. All senses stimulate activity in the brain, and some researchers theorize that the loss of stimulation can result in cognitive decline over a period of time.
Your hearing aid will help you hear better. And that can help keep your brain active, supplying a more effective natural safeguard against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why a relationship between the two should not be unexpected and why hearing loss treatments can slow dementia by up to 75%.