Treating your loss of hearing can be helpful for your brain. At least, that’s according to a new study from a University of Manchester research team. Over the period of about 20 years (1996 to 2014), nearly 2000 men and women were evaluated by these researchers. The outstanding conclusions? Dementia can be delayed by up to 75% by managing your hearing loss.
That is not a small figure.
But still, it’s not really that surprising. That’s not to take away from the weight of the finding, of course, that kind of statistical connection between hearing loss treatment and the fight against dementia is important and stunning. But it aligns well with what we currently know: as you age, it’s essential to treat your hearing loss if you want to hold off dementia.
What Does This Research on Dementia Mean For me?
Scientific studies can be inconsistent and perplexing (should I eat eggs, shouldn’t I eat eggs? What about wine? Will drinking wine help me live longer?). There are countless unrelated causes for this. Because here’s the main point: yet further proof, this research implies neglected hearing loss can lead to or worsen cognitive decline including dementia.
So for you personally, what does this indicate? In certain ways, it’s fairly basic: if you’ve been noticing any possible indications of hearing loss, make an appointment with us as soon as you can. And you should start wearing that hearing aid as advised if you discover you need one.
When You Wear Them Regularly, Hearing Aids Can Help Prevent Dementia
Sadly, when most people are prescribed with hearing aids, they don’t always instantly get into the habit of wearing them. The often cited reasons why include:
- The way hearing aids look worries you. Today, we have lots of types available which might surprise you. Plus, many hearing aid models are manufactured to be very unobtrusive.
- The hearing aid isn’t feeling as if it fits very well. If you are having this problem, please contact us. They can fit better and we’re here to help.
- The hearing aid doesn’t feel 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.
- It’s difficult to make out voices. Your brain doesn’t always immediately adjust to hearing voices. We can recommend things to do to help make this process go more smoothly, such as reading along with a book recording.
Your future cognitive abilities and even your health as a whole are clearly affected by wearing hearing aids. We can help if you’re trying to cope with any of the above. Consulting your hearing specialist to make sure your hearing aids are working for you is just part of the process and it demands time and patience.
It’s more significant than ever to manage your hearing loss specifically taking into consideration the new evidence. Take the treatment seriously because hearing aids are defending your hearing and your mental health.
Hearing Aids And Dementia, What’s The Connection?
So why are these two health conditions dementia and hearing loss even associated in the first place? Analysts themselves aren’t exactly certain, but some theories are related to social solitude. When suffering from loss of hearing, some people isolate themselves socially. Sensory stimulation is the basis of another theory. All senses induce activity in the brain, and some experts theorize that the loss of stimulation can lead to cognitive decline over a period of time.
You hear better with a hearing aid. And that can help keep your brain active, providing a more potent natural safeguard against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why taking care of hearing loss can slow dementia by up to 75% percent and why it shouldn’t be unexpected that there is a connection between the two.