Taking care of your loss of hearing can be helpful for your brain. At least, that’s according to a new study by a group of researchers from the University of Manchester. These researchers looked at a team of more than 2000 participants over a time period of nearly twenty years (1996 to 2014). The surprising results? Dementia can be slowed by as much as 75% by managing your hearing loss.
That’s a substantial figure.
But still, it’s not all all that unexpected. That’s not to detract from the significance of the finding, of course, that kind of statistical relationship between hearing loss treatment and the fight against dementia is noteworthy and shocking. But the information we already have aligns well with these findings: as you get older, it’s crucial to treat your hearing loss if you want to slow down cognitive decline.
What Does This Research on Dementia Mean For me?
You can’t always trust the content provided in scientific studies because it can frequently be inconsistent. The reasons for that are lengthy, diverse, and not really that pertinent to our topic here. Because here’s the main point: yet another piece of evidence, this research indicates neglected loss of hearing can lead to or worsen cognitive decline including dementia.
So for you personally, what does this imply? In some ways, it’s pretty straight forward: if you’ve noticed any potential indications of hearing loss, schedule an appointment with us soon. And, if you need a hearing aid, you need to absolutely begin using that hearing aid as advised.
When You Use Them Correctly, Hearing Aids Can Counter Dementia
Sadly, not everybody falls directly into the habit of wearing a prescribed pair of hearing aids. Some of the reasons why are:
- The way that the hearing aid is supposed to work, doesn’t appear 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 hearing aid isn’t feeling like it fits well. If you are having this issue, please contact us. They can fit better and we’re here to help.
- You’re anxious about how hearing aids appear. You’d be amazed at the wide variety of styles we have available now. Some styles are so discreet, you might not even notice them.
- It’s hard to understand voices. Your brain doesn’t always instantly adapt to understanding voices. We can recommend things to do to help make this process go more smoothly, such as reading along with an audiobook.
Your future cognitive faculties and even your health in general are clearly affected by wearing hearing aids. If you’re trying to cope with any of the above, get in touch with us for an adjustment. At times the solution will take time or patience, but consulting your hearing professional 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 significant than it ever has been. Hearing aids are safeguarding your hearing health and your mental health so it’s important to take that treatment seriously.
What’s The Connection Between Dementia And Hearing Aids?
So why are these two health conditions dementia and loss of hearing even linked to begin with? Analysts themselves aren’t exactly certain, but some theories are related to social solitude. Some people, when faced with loss of hearing, become less socially active. Sensory stimulation is the foundation of another theory. Over the years, if a person loses sensory stimulation, like hearing loss, the brain receives less activity which then results in mental decline.
Your hearing aid helps you hear better. And that can help keep your brain active, delivering a more effective natural safeguard against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why dealing with hearing loss can delay dementia by up to 75% percent and why it shouldn’t be unexpected that there is a link between the two.