What’s the connection between hearing loss and cognitive decline? Brain health and hearing loss have a connection which medical science is starting to comprehend. Your risk of developing cognitive decline is increased with even mild hearing loss, as it turns out.
Scientists think that there might be a pathological link between these two seemingly unrelated health problems. So how can a hearing exam help decrease the risk of hearing loss related dementia?
Dementia, what is it?
The Mayo Clinic states that dementia is a group of symptoms that change memory, alter the ability to think concisely, and reduce socialization skills. Individuals tend to think of Alzheimer’s disease when they hear dementia probably because it is a prevalent form. Alzheimer’s means progressive dementia that impacts about five million people in the U.S. Exactly how hearing health impacts the danger of dementia is finally well grasped by scientists.
How hearing works
When it comes to good hearing, every part of the complex ear component matters. Waves of sound go into the ear canal and are amplified as they move toward the inner ear. Electrical signals are transmitted to the brain for decoding by tiny little hairs in the inner ear that vibrate in response to sound waves.
Over time, many people develop a gradual decline in their ability to hear because of years of damage to these fragile hair cells. Comprehension of sound becomes much more difficult because of the decrease of electrical impulses to the brain.
Research indicates that this gradual loss of hearing isn’t simply an inconsequential part of aging. The brain tries to decode any messages sent by the ear even if they are jumbled or unclear. That effort puts stress on the ear, making the individual struggling to hear more susceptible to developing dementia.
Loss of hearing is a risk factor for numerous diseases that result in:
- Reduction in alertness
- Weak overall health
- Impaired memory
- Inability to master new tasks
- Exhaustion
- Irritability
- Depression
And the more extreme your hearing loss the higher your risk of cognitive decline. Even slight hearing loss can double the risk of cognitive decline. Hearing loss that is more severe will raise the risk by three times and very severe untreated hearing loss can put you at up to a five times higher danger. A study conducted by Johns Hopkins University tracked the cognitive skills of more than 2,000 older adults over a six-year period. Cognitive and memory problems are 24 percent more likely in people who have hearing loss significant enough to disrupt conversation, according to this research.
Why a hearing assessment matters
Hearing loss impacts the general health and that would most likely surprise many people. Most individuals don’t even know they have hearing loss because it develops so slowly. As hearing declines, the human brain adjusts gradually so it makes it less obvious.
Scheduling regular comprehensive assessments gives you and your hearing specialist the ability to properly evaluate hearing health and monitor any decline as it occurs.
Decreasing the risk with hearing aids
The present hypothesis is that strain on the brain from hearing loss plays a major role in cognitive decline and different types of dementia. Based on that one fact, you might conclude that hearing aids decrease that risk. A hearing assistance device amplifies sound while filtering out background noise that interferes with your hearing and alleviates the stress on your brain. With a hearing aid, the brain won’t work so hard to understand the audio messages it’s getting.
People who have normal hearing can still possibly develop dementia. But scientists believe hearing loss accelerates that decline. Getting regular hearing tests to detect and treat hearing loss before it gets too serious is key to reducing that risk.
Call us today to set up an appointment for a hearing test if you’re concerned that you might be dealing with hearing loss.