Woman with hearing loss tuning out to the people around her and starting to have cognitive decline.

Your brain can be helped by taking care of your hearing loss. At least, that’s according to a new study out of a University of Manchester study team. Over the period of about 20 years (1996 to 2014), nearly 2000 people were studied by these researchers. The striking results? Dementia can be slowed by as much as 75% by treating loss of hearing.

That’s a considerable number.

But is it really that surprising? The significance of the finding, of course, is still useful, this is an important statistical correlation between the struggle against dementia and the treatment of hearing loss. But the insight we already have aligns well with these findings: as you age, it’s vital to treat your loss of hearing if you want to slow down cognitive decline.

How am I Impacted by This Research?

You can’t always rely on the content provided in scientific studies because it can often be contradictory. There are lots of unrelated causes for this. Because here’s the bottom line: yet further proof, this research implies neglected hearing loss can result in or exacerbate mental decline including dementia.

So for you personally, what does this mean? In certain ways, it’s quite simple: if you’ve been noticing any possible indications of hearing loss, make an appointment with us soon. And you really should start wearing that hearing aid as advised if you discover you need one.

Hearing Aids Help Prevent Dementia When You Use Them Correctly

Unfortunately, when most people are prescribed with hearing aids, they don’t always instantly get into the habit of wearing them. The usual reasons why include:

  • Peoples voices are difficult to make out. In many instances, it takes time for your brain to adapt to recognizing voices again. We can recommend things to do to help make this endeavor easier, like reading along with an audiobook.
  • The hearing aid isn’t feeling as if it fits properly. If you are suffering from this issue, please contact us. We can help make it fit better.
  • 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 worried about how hearing aids look. Presently, we have a lot of styles available which may surprise you. In addition, many hearing aid styles are created to be very unobtrusive.

Your future cognitive abilities and even your overall health are clearly impacted by wearing hearing aids. If you’re trying to cope with any of the above, get in touch with us for an adjustment. Quite often the solution will take time or patience, but working with your hearing specialist to make sure your hearing aids work for you is just part of the process.

And taking into consideration these new findings, managing your hearing loss is more important than ever. Hearing aids are defending your hearing health and your mental health so it’s vital to take that treatment seriously.

What’s The Link Between Hearing Aids And Dementia?

So why are these two conditions dementia and loss of hearing even connected to begin with? Analysts themselves aren’t exactly certain, but some theories are associated with social solitude. Some people, when dealing with hearing loss, become less socially involved. Sensory stimulation is the foundation of another theory. With time, if a person loses sensory stimulation, like hearing loss, the brain receives less activity which then results in mental decline.

Your hearing aid will help you hear better. And that can help keep your brain active, offering a more potent natural defense against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why a link between the two should not be surprising and why hearing loss treatments can slow down dementia by as much as 75%.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.
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