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

Treating your loss of hearing can be good for your brain. At least, that’s according to a new study out of a University of Manchester study group. These analysts examined a team of more than 2000 individuals over a time period of almost 2 decades (1996 to 2014). The unexpected outcome? Dementia can be delayed by up to 75% by treating hearing loss.

That’s a significant figure.

But still, it’s not all that unexpected. 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 it aligns well with what we currently know: as you get older, it’s crucial to treat your loss of hearing if you want to hold off dementia.

What Does This Research on Dementia Mean For me?

Scientific research can be contradictory and confusing (should I eat eggs, should I not eat eggs? How about wine? Will that help me live longer?). The causes for that are long, diverse, and not all that pertinent to our topic here. Because here’s the main point: this new research is yet another piece of evidence that reveals untreated loss of hearing can result in or exacerbate mental decline including dementia.

So what does this indicate for you? It’s straightforward in several ways: if you’ve noticed any possible signs of hearing loss, schedule an appointment with us soon. And, if you need a hearing aid, you should definitely start using that hearing aid as directed.

Hearing Aids Assist in Preventing Dementia When You Use Them Correctly

Unfortunately, when people are prescribed with hearing aids, they don’t always immediately get into the habit of using them. The often cited reasons why include:

  • Voices are difficult to understand. In many cases, it takes time for your brain to adjust to recognizing voices again. There are things we can recommend, including reading along with an audiobook, that can help make this situation easier.
  • The way hearing aids look worries you. You’d be surprised at the variety of designs we have available nowadays. Some models are so subtle, you might not even notice them.
  • The hearing aid doesn’t seem 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.
  • The hearing aid isn’t feeling like it fits well. If you are suffering from this problem, please get in touch with us. They can fit better and we’re here to help.

Your future mental abilities and even your health in general are obviously impacted by wearing hearing aids. We can help if you’re having difficulties with any of the above. Quite often the solution will take time or patience, but consulting your hearing professional to make sure your hearing aids work for you is just part of the process.

And in light of these new findings, treating your hearing loss is more important than ever before. Take the treatment seriously because hearing aids are protecting your hearing and your mental health.

What’s The Connection Between Hearing Aids And Dementia?

So why are these two health conditions dementia and hearing loss even connected to begin with? Specialists themselves aren’t completely sure, but some theories are associated with social solitude. When coping with loss of hearing, some people hide themselves away socially. Yet another theory relates to sensory stimulation. All senses stimulate activity in the brain, and some experts theorize that the loss of stimulation can result in cognitive decline over a period of time.

Your hearing aid allows you to hear better. And that can help keep your brain active, providing a more powerful natural defense against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why a relationship between the two should not be surprising and why hearing loss treatments can slow down dementia by up to 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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