Your brain can be benefited by taking care of your loss of hearing. At least, that’s according to a new study by a group of researchers from the University of Manchester. Over the period of approximately 20 years (1996 to 2014), nearly 2000 individuals were studied by these analysts. The attention-getting findings? Dealing with your loss of hearing can slow down dementia by up to 75%.

That is not a small number.

But is it actually that surprising? That’s not to take away from the weight of the finding, of course, this is an important statistical correlation between the struggle against cognitive decline and the treatment of hearing loss. But it coordinates well with what we already know: treating your loss of hearing is essential to slowing dementia as you age.

How am I Impacted by This Research?

Scientific research can be confusing and inconsistent (should I eat eggs, shouldn’t I eat eggs? What about wine? Will that help me live longer?). The reasons for that are lengthy, varied, and not really that pertinent to our discussion here. The main point here is: yet further proof, this research suggests untreated loss of hearing can lead to or exacerbate cognitive decline including dementia.

So what does this mean for you? In some ways, it’s quite straight forward: if you’ve noticed any potential symptoms of hearing loss, make an appointment with us as soon as you can. And you really should start using that hearing aid as advised if you find out you need one.

Hearing Aids Assist in Preventing Dementia When You Wear Them Correctly

Sadly, 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:

• The hearing aid doesn’t feel like it works as advertised. Many people need to have their settings adjusted, and calibration problems are definitely something that can be addressed by our hearing specialists.
• How hearing aids look concerns you. You’d be amazed at the wide variety of designs we have available currently. Also, many hearing aid models are designed to be very discreet.
• The hearing aid isn’t feeling as if it fits perfectly. If you are having this issue, please let us know. We can help make it fit better.
• It’s challenging to understand voices. Your brain doesn’t always instantly adapt to understanding voices. There are things we can recommend, including reading along with an audiobook, that can help make this situation go more smoothly.

Your future mental faculties and even your health in general are obviously impacted by using hearing aids. We can help if you’re struggling with any of the above. Working with your hearing professional to make sure your hearing aids are working for you is just part of the process and it calls for time and patience.

And in light of these new findings, dealing with your hearing loss is more important than it ever has been. Take the treatment seriously because hearing aids are protecting 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 linked to begin with? Social solitude is the leading theory but scientists are not 100% sure. Many people, when faced with hearing loss, become less socially active. Another theory concerns sensory stimulation. Over the years, if a person loses sensory stimulation, such as hearing loss, the brain receives less activity which then leads to cognitive decline.

Your hearing aid will help you hear better. Providing a natural safeguard for your brain against cognitive decline and helping to keep your brain active. That’s why a relationship between the two should not be surprising and why hearing loss treatments can delay dementia by as much as 75%.