Your brain can be helped by taking care of your hearing loss. At least, that’s according to a new study from a University of Manchester study team. Over the period of about 20 years (1996 to 2014), nearly 2000 people were examined by these researchers. The striking outcome? Dementia can be slowed by as much as 75% by dealing with hearing loss.

That’s a considerable number.

And yet, it’s not all all that unexpected. That’s not to take away from the importance of the finding, of course, this is an important statistical correlation between the battle against dementia and the treatment of hearing loss. But the information we already have aligns well with these findings: as you get older, it’s vital to treat your loss of hearing if you want to hold off cognitive decline.

What Does This Research on Dementia Mean For me?

You can’t always trust the content provided in scientific studies because it can in many cases be inconsistent. The reasons for that are long, varied, and not very relevant to our topic here. The bottom line is: yet another piece of evidence, this research reveals neglected hearing loss can lead to or worsen cognitive decline including dementia.

So for you personally, what does this indicate? In many ways, it’s quite basic: you need to come see us immediately if you’ve noticed any hearing loss. And, if you require a hearing aid, you need to absolutely start using that hearing aid as advised.

When You Use Them Regularly, Hearing Aids Can Counter Dementia

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

• You’re anxious about how hearing aids look. You’d be amazed at the variety of styles we have available now. Also, many hearing aid styles are manufactured to be very unobtrusive.
• It’s challenging to make out voices. In some situations, it takes time for your brain to adapt to recognizing voices again. There are some things we can suggest, such as reading along with an audiobook, that can help make this endeavor easier.
• 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.
• The hearing aid doesn’t feel like it fits properly. If you are experiencing this problem, please contact us. They can fit better and we’re here to help.

Your future cognitive abilities and even your health in general are undoubtedly impacted by wearing hearing aids. We can help if you’re struggling with any of the above. Working with your hearing specialist to make certain your hearing aids are working for you is just part of the process and it demands time and patience.

And in light of these new findings, dealing with your hearing loss is more significant than ever before. Be serious about the treatment because hearing aids are safeguarding your hearing and your mental health.

What’s The Connection Between Hearing Aids And Dementia?

So why are these two problems dementia and loss of hearing even connected to begin with? Social solitude is the leading theory but experts are not completely sure. Some people, when dealing with loss of hearing, become less socially involved. Sensory stimulation is the basis of another theory. All senses stimulate activity in the brain, and some scientists theorize that the loss of stimulation can lead to cognitive decline over a period of time.

Your hearing aid allows you to hear better. And that can help keep your brain active, providing a more effective natural defense against dementia and cognitive decline. That’s why a relationship between the two shouldn’t be surprising and why hearing loss treatments can delay dementia by up to 75%.