Your brain can be benefited by treating your loss of hearing. At least, that’s according to a new study out of a University of Manchester research team. These analysts considered a team of more than 2000 individuals over a time period of approximately twenty years (1996 to 2014). The outstanding results? Dementia can be slowed by as much as 75% by managing your hearing loss.
That’s a substantial figure.
But is it actually that surprising? That’s not to detract from the significance of the finding, of course, that type of statistical connection between hearing loss treatment and the battle against dementia is noteworthy and eye-popping. But it coordinates well with what we already know: treating your loss of hearing is vital to slowing dementia as you age.
What Does This Research on Dementia Mean For me?
You can’t always trust the information presented in scientific studies because it can frequently be inconsistent. There are countless unrelated reasons for this. The bottom line is: yet another piece of evidence, 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 simple: if you’ve observed any potential symptoms of hearing loss, come see us in the near future. And, if you require a hearing aid, you need to absolutely start using that hearing aid as advised.
Hearing Aids Help Prevent Dementia When You Wear Them Correctly
Sadly, not everybody falls right into the habit of wearing a prescribed pair of hearing aids. Some of the reasons why are:
- Peoples voices are difficult to make out. Your brain doesn’t always immediately adjust to hearing voices. We can suggest things to do to help make this process easier, like reading along with a book recording.
- The hearing aid doesn’t feel like it fits well. If you are suffering from this issue, please get in touch with us. We can help make it fit better.
- The way hearing aids look concerns you. Today, we have lots of variations available which may amaze you. Some styles are so discreet, you may not even notice them.
- 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.
Your future cognitive abilities and even your health in general are undoubtedly affected by using hearing aids. If you’re struggling with any of the above, get in touch with us for an adjustment. Sometimes the solution will take patience and time, but working with your hearing specialist to make sure your hearing aids are working for you is just part of the process.
It’s more important than ever to manage your hearing loss especially in the light of the new evidence. Take the treatment seriously because hearing aids are protecting your hearing and your mental health.
What’s The Link Between Hearing Aids And Dementia?
So why are these two problems dementia and hearing loss even associated in the first place? Social solitude is the leading theory but experts are not 100% certain. When coping with hearing loss, some people isolate themselves socially. Another theory has to do with sensory stimulation. Over the years, if a person loses sensory stimulation, such as hearing loss, the brain receives less activity which then results in mental decline.
You hear better with a hearing aid. Delivering 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 unexpected and why hearing loss treatments can slow down dementia by as much as 75%.