Taking care of your loss of hearing can be helpful for your brain. At least, that’s according to a new study out of a University of Manchester study group. These researchers looked at a group of more than 2000 individuals over the course of almost twenty years (1996 to 2014). The striking results? Managing your hearing loss can slow down dementia by up to 75%.

That is not a small figure.

But is it actually that surprising? The importance of the finding, of course, is still useful, that sort of statistical relationship between hearing loss treatment and the battle against dementia is noteworthy and stunning. But it coordinates well with what we already know: treating your loss of hearing is essential to slowing cognitive decline as you age.

What Does This Research on Dementia Mean For me?

Scientific research can be contradictory and perplexing (should I eat eggs, shouldn’t I eat eggs? How about wine? Will that help me live longer?). The reasons for that are long, diverse, and not very pertinent to our topic here. The bottom line is: yet another piece of evidence, this research suggests untreated hearing loss can lead to or exacerbate cognitive decline including dementia.

So what does this mean for you? In many ways, it’s quite simple: if you’ve noticed any possible symptoms of hearing loss, make an appointment with us in the near future. And you really should begin wearing that hearing aid as directed if you find out you need one.

Hearing Aids Help Prevent Dementia When You Use Them Correctly

Sadly, 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 like it fits well. If you are having this issue, please give us a call. We can help make it fit better.
• You’re anxious about how hearing aids appear. Nowadays, we have lots of styles available which may surprise you. Plus, many hearing aid models are manufactured to be very unobtrusive.
• Voices are difficult to make out. Your brain doesn’t always immediately adapt to hearing voices. There are things we can suggest, including reading along with an audiobook, that can help make this process easier.
• The way that the hearing aid is advertised 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.

Clearly wearing your hearing aids is important to your health and future mental faculties. If you’re having difficulties with any of the above, come see us for an adjustment. Sometimes the answer will take time or patience, but consulting your hearing professional to ensure your hearing aids work for you is a part of the process.

And taking into consideration these new findings, treating your hearing loss is more important than ever before. Hearing aids are defending your hearing health and your mental health so it’s essential to be serious about treatment.

What’s The Connection Between Dementia And Hearing Aids?

So why are these two health conditions dementia and loss of hearing even connected to begin with? Analysts themselves aren’t completely certain, but some theories are related to social solitude. Some people, when dealing with hearing loss, become less socially involved. Sensory stimulation is the foundation of another theory. All senses trigger activity in the brain, and some experts theorize that losing stimulation can cause cognitive decline over time.

You hear better with a hearing aid. Offering a natural defense for your brain against cognitive decline and helping to keep your brain active. That’s why a link between the two shouldn’t be surprising and why hearing loss treatments can slow dementia by as much as 75%.