That hearing loss can affect your brain has been confirmed in numerous studies. (Some of our other blogs clearly demonstrate that.) Hearing Aids, fortunately, have been shown to be capable of helping you regain some of that cognitive ability.
This is not to imply that hearing aids are somehow going to make you more intelligent. But there’s some compelling research that suggests hearing aids can improve cognitive abilities, lowering your risk for depression, dementia, and anxiety.
You Carry Out a Lot of Hearing With Your Brain
To understand the connection between cognition and your ears, it’s important to recognize that a significant percentage of your hearing actually happens in your brain. It’s the brain’s job to transform sound vibrations into perceptible sound information. So as your hearing wanes, the parts of your brain that interpret those sounds suddenly have a lot less to do.
Combined with other considerations (such as social isolation), the alterations in your brain (and hearing) can result in the onset of certain mental health issues. In persons with untreated hearing loss, it’s not uncommon to observe an increase in the chances for anxiety, depression, and dementia.
When you use hearing aids, you’re essentially “treating” your hearing loss. That means:
- You won’t be as likely to isolate yourself socially. Conversations will be easier to comprehend and follow, so you’ll be more inclined to participate.
- Because you’ll be able to couple your hearing aids with regular screening and other treatment options, you can stop your hearing from becoming increasingly worse.
- The regions of your brain responsible for hearing will get a more consistent workout; the more your brain works, the healthier your brain will be.
Keeping You on Your Toes
Hearing aids stimulate your brain and your social life and can prevent dementia, depression, and anxiety.
- The health of your inner ear: Inner ear damage is not caused by hearing loss alone. But there is normally a common cause for both loss of hearing and damage to the inner ear. Sometimes, a hearing aid is part of the treatment program for hearing loss which can also assist with inner ear damage.
- Growing awareness: Sometimes, because you aren’t mindful of your environment, you might have a fall. Decreased hearing ability can significantly lessen your situational awareness. Determining which direction sound is originating from can be as difficult as hearing sound in general. A fall or other injury can be the consequence.
- Modern technology: Hearing aids have started containing novel technology that is able to alert emergency contacts (or emergency services) when someone using the hearing aids experiences a fall. This may not stop the fall to begin with, but it can lessen lasting injuries or complications caused by the fall.
To be honest, you’re more likely to avoid a fall when you’re wearing hearing aids. A hearing aid improves your physical health and your cognitive capability while performing the essential functions of helping you stay more mindful, more focused, and more dialed in.
Start Wearing Your Hearing Aid
We haven’t even yet dealt with the basic hearing benefits of hearing aids. So it seems like when you consider all of the benefits connected to wearing hearing aids, it’s a no brainer. (Pretty obvious).
The problem is that many people don’t know they have hearing loss. It can be challenging to recognize hearing loss when it happens slowly over time. That’s the reason why getting a normal hearing test is essential. A wide range of other health concerns can be exacerbated by hearing loss.
The correct hearing aid can, in part, slow the onset of despair and dementia, while decreasing the occurrences of some physical incidents. Aside from helping your hearing, hearing aids provide a surprising number of benefits.