Treating your loss of hearing can be helpful for your brain. At least, that’s according to a new study from a University of Manchester study group. Over the period of approximately 20 years (1996 to 2014), nearly 2000 men and women were looked at by these researchers. The outstanding results? Treating your loss of hearing can delay dementia by as much as 75%.

That is not an insignificant number.

But is it actually that surprising? The importance of the finding, of course, is still relevant, this is an important statistical correlation between the struggle against dementia and the treatment of hearing loss. But the insight we already have aligns well with these findings: as you age, it’s crucial to treat your loss of hearing if you want to delay cognitive decline.

What Does This Research on Dementia Mean For me?

You can’t always rely on the content provided in scientific studies because it can frequently be inconsistent. There are countless unrelated reasons for this. The main point here is: yet further proof, this research implies untreated hearing loss can lead to or worsen cognitive decline including dementia.

So what does this mean for you? It’s very simple in some ways: if you’ve observed any potential indications of hearing loss, come see us as soon as you can. And, if you need a hearing aid, you should absolutely begin using that hearing aid as advised.

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

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

• 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.
• The hearing aid isn’t feeling like it fits well. If you are suffering from this problem, please give us a call. We can help make it fit better.
• You’re concerned about how hearing aids appear. You’d be surprised at the range of styles we have available now. Some styles are so subtle, you may not even notice them.
• Peoples voices are difficult to understand. In some cases, it takes time for your brain to adapt to recognizing voices again. There are some things we can suggest, like reading along with an audiobook, that can help make this process easier.

Clearly wearing your hearing aids is essential to your health and future cognitive faculties. If you’re having difficulties with any of the above, come see us for an adjustment. Quite often the answer will take time or patience, 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 deal with your loss of hearing especially taking into consideration the new findings. Hearing aids are safeguarding your hearing health and your mental health so it’s crucial to take that treatment seriously.

Hearing Aids And Dementia, What’s The Link?

So why are these two problems hearing loss and dementia even associated to begin with? Social isolation is the prominent theory but experts are not 100% certain. Many people, when faced with loss of hearing, become less socially active. A different theory concerns sensory stimulation. All senses stimulate activity in the brain, and some experts theorize that the loss of stimulation can lead to cognitive decline over time.

You hear better with a hearing aid. And that can help keep your brain active, providing a more powerful natural safeguard against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why a connection between the two should not be surprising and why hearing loss treatments can slow dementia by as much as 75%.