Your brain can be helped by taking care of your loss of hearing. 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 just about twenty years (1996 to 2014). The outstanding findings? Dementia can be delayed by as much as 75% by treating loss of hearing.

That is not a small figure.

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 connection between the battle against cognitive decline and the treatment of hearing loss. But it coordinates well with what we already know: as you age, it’s crucial to treat your hearing loss if you want to delay cognitive decline.

How am I Impacted by This Research?

Scientific studies can be perplexing and inconsistent (should I eat eggs, should I not eat eggs? What about wine? Will that help me live longer?). The causes for that are long, diverse, and not really that relevant to our discussion here. The bottom line is: this new study is yet further proof that suggests untreated loss of hearing can lead to or worsen mental decline including dementia.

So for you personally, what does this indicate? It’s very simple in several ways: you should set up an appointment with us right away if you’ve observed any hearing loss. And you should start using that hearing aid as advised if you discover you require one.

When You Use Them Regularly, Hearing Aids Can Help Forestall Dementia

Regrettably, not everyone falls right into the habit of using a prescribed pair of hearing aids. The often cited reasons why include:

• The hearing aid doesn’t feel as if it fits perfectly. 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 variety of models we have available now. Some styles are so subtle, you may not even see them.
• The way that the hearing aid is supposed to work, doesn’t seem 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.
• It’s challenging to understand voices. In some situations, it takes time for your brain to adapt to hearing voices again. We can recommend things to do to help make this endeavor go more smoothly, such as reading along with an audiobook.

Obviously using your hearing aids is essential to your health and future mental abilities. We can help if you’re having difficulties with any of the above. At times the answer will take patience and time, but consulting your hearing specialist to ensure your hearing aids are working for you is just part of the process.

It’s more important than ever to deal with your hearing loss specifically in the light of the new findings. Hearing aids are defending your hearing health and your mental health so it’s important to take that treatment seriously.

Dementia And Hearing Aids, What’s The Connection?, What’s The Connection?

So why are these two problems hearing loss and dementia even associated to begin with? Scientists themselves aren’t exactly certain, but some theories are associated with social solitude. When coping with hearing loss, some people hide themselves away socially. Another theory refers to sensory stimulation. In time, if a person loses sensory stimulation, like hearing loss, the brain receives less activity which then leads to mental decline.

You hear better when you wear your hearing aid. And that can help keep your brain active, creating a more potent natural defense against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why a link between the two should not be surprising and why hearing loss treatments can delay dementia by up to 75%.