Want to take all the fun out of your next family gathering? Start to talk about dementia.
Dementia isn’t a topic most individuals are intentionally looking to discuss, mostly because it’s pretty scary. Dementia, which is a degenerative cognitive condition, makes you lose touch with reality, experience loss of memory, and causes a general loss of mental function. It isn’t something anyone looks forward to.
This is why many people are looking for a way to prevent, or at least slow, the advancement of dementia. There are several clear connections, as it turns out, between dementia and neglected hearing loss.
You might be surprised by that. After all, what does your brain have to do with your ears (a lot, actually)? Why does hearing loss raise chances of dementia?
When you ignore hearing loss, what are the repercussions?
Maybe you’ve noticed your hearing loss already, but you’re not that concerned about it. You can simply turn up the volume, right? Maybe, when you watch your favorite program, you’ll just turn on the captions.
But then again, perhaps you haven’t detected your hearing loss yet. Maybe the signs are still easy to dismiss. Cognitive decline and hearing loss are clearly linked either way. That may have something to do with what happens when you have untreated hearing loss.
- It becomes more difficult to understand conversations. As a result, you may begin isolating yourself socially. You might become removed from loved ones and friends. You won’t talk with people as much. This kind of social separation is, well, bad for your brain. And naturally your social life. Further, most people who have this kind of isolation won’t even realize that hearing loss is the cause.
- Your brain will be working overtime. Your ears will get less audio information when you have untreated hearing loss. Because of this, your brain will attempt to fill in the gaps. This is unbelievably taxing. Your brain will then have to get extra power from your memory and thinking centers (at least that’s the current theory). The thinking is that over time this leads to dementia (or, at least, helps it along). Your brain working so hard can also result in all kinds of other symptoms, such as mental fatigue and tiredness.
You may have suspected that your hearing loss was more innocuous than it actually is.
One of the principal signs of dementia is hearing loss
Perhaps your hearing loss is mild. Like, you’re unable to hear whispers, but everything else is normal. Well, turns out you’re still two times as likely to develop dementia as someone who doesn’t have hearing loss.
Which means that even mild hearing loss is a pretty strong preliminary sign of a dementia risk.
So… How should we understand this?
Well, it’s essential to remember that we’re talking about risk here. Hearing loss isn’t a guarantee of dementia or even an early symptom of dementia. Rather, it just means you have a higher chance of developing dementia or going through cognitive decline later in life. But that could actually be good news.
Because it means that effectively dealing with your hearing loss can help you reduce your risk of cognitive decline. So how can hearing loss be managed? Here are several ways:
- You can take some measures to protect your hearing from further damage if you detect your hearing loss soon enough. You could, for instance, use ear protection if you work in a loud setting and avoid noisy events like concerts or sporting events.
- Using a hearing aid can help decrease the affect of hearing loss. So, can dementia be stopped by using hearing aids? That’s difficult to say, but hearing aids can enhance brain function. Here’s why: You’ll be capable of participating in more conversations, your brain won’t have to work so hard, and you’ll be a little more socially connected. Research suggests that managing hearing loss can help decrease your danger of developing dementia in the future. It won’t stop dementia but we can still call it a win.
- Schedule an appointment with us to identify your present hearing loss.
Lowering your chance of dementia – other strategies
Naturally, there are other things you can do to decrease your risk of dementia, too. This might include:
- Get some exercise.
- Stop smoking. Seriously. Smoking will increase your chance of dementia and will impact your overall health (this list also includes drinking too much alcohol).
- Getting adequate sleep at night is essential. Some studies have linked a higher risk of dementia to getting fewer than four hours of sleep each night.
- Eating more healthy food, specifically one that helps you keep your blood pressure from going too high. For individuals who naturally have higher blood pressure, it may be necessary to take medication to lower it.
Needless to say, scientists are still studying the link between dementia, hearing loss, lifestyle, and more. It’s a complex disease with an array of causes. But any way you can lower your risk is good.
Hearing is its own benefit
So, over time, hearing better will decrease your overall risk of cognitive decline. You’ll be improving your life now, not only in the future. Imagine, no more solitary trips to the store, no more confused conversations, no more misunderstandings.
It’s no fun losing out on life’s important moments. And a little bit of hearing loss management, possibly in the form of a hearing aid, can help significantly.
So make sure to schedule an appointment with us right away!
Call Today to Set Up an Appointment
References
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2021/hearing-loss-and-the-dementia-connection
