Taking care of your hearing loss can be helpful for your brain. At least, that’s according to a new study out of a University of Manchester research team. These researchers considered a team of around 2000 individuals over a time period of almost twenty years (1996 to 2014). The attention-getting results? Managing your hearing loss can slow dementia by as much as 75%.
That’s a significant number.
And yet, it’s not all all that unexpected. That’s not to detract from the significance of the finding, of course, that kind of statistical correlation between hearing loss treatment and the struggle against dementia is noteworthy and stunning. But it aligns well with what we currently know: treating your hearing loss is essential to slowing cognitive decline as you get older.
What Does This Research on Dementia Mean For me?
You can’t always rely on the information provided in scientific studies because it can frequently be contradictory. There are lots of unrelated causes for this. The main point here is: this new study is yet another piece of evidence that implies neglected loss of hearing can result in or exacerbate mental decline including dementia.
So for you personally, what does this imply? It’s very simple in several ways: you should set up an appointment with us right away if you’ve noticed any hearing loss. And you should start using that hearing aid as advised if you find out you require one.
Hearing Aids Help Prevent Dementia When You Use Them Correctly
Regrettably, when people are prescribed with hearing aids, they don’t always instantly get into the habit of using them. Some of the reasons why are:
- The hearing aid isn’t feeling like it fits very well. If you are experiencing this issue, please contact us. We can help make it fit better.
- Voices are difficult to make out. Your brain doesn’t always instantly adapt to understanding voices. We can suggest things to do to help make this process easier, such as reading along with a book recording.
- The hearing aid doesn’t seem 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.
- How hearing aids look concerns you. You’d be surprised at the assortment of styles we have available currently. Also, many hearing aid models are designed to be very discreet.
Your future mental faculties and even your health in general are undoubtedly affected by using hearing aids. We can help if you’re having difficulties with any of the above. Consulting 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.
It’s more significant than ever to take care of your loss of hearing specifically in the light of the new evidence. Hearing aids are safeguarding your hearing health and your mental health so it’s essential to be serious about treatment.
Hearing Aids And Dementia, What’s The Relationship?
So why are these two conditions loss of hearing and dementia even associated in the first place? Social solitude is the leading theory but scientists are not 100% certain. When suffering from loss of hearing, some people seclude themselves socially. Sensory stimulation is the basis of another theory. All senses stimulate activity in the brain, and some experts theorize that the loss of stimulation can cause cognitive decline over a period of time.
Your hearing aid will help you hear better. Delivering a natural defense for your brain against cognitive decline and helping to keep your brain active. That’s why treating hearing loss can slow dementia by up to 75% percent and why it shouldn’t be surprising that there is a link between the two.