As we get older we begin to have difficulty hearing clearly and we usually just accept it as a normal part of the aging process. Maybe we need to ask people to speak up or repeat themselves when they talk. Maybe the volume on our TV keeps going up. We may even discover that we’re becoming forgetful.
Loss of memory is also frequently seen as a normal part of aging because the senior population is more prone to Alzheimer’s and dementia than the general population. But what if the two were in some way connected? And is it possible to safeguard your mental health and treat hearing loss at the same time?
Hearing loss and cognitive decline
Cognitive decline and dementia aren’t usually connected to hearing loss. Nevertheless, the connection is very clear if you look in the right places: studies show that there is a significant risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-like conditions if you also suffer from hearing loss – even at relatively low levels of hearing impairment.
Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression are also fairly prevalent in people who suffer from hearing loss. The key point here is that hearing loss, mental health problems, and cognitive decline all impact our ability to socialize.
Why is cognitive decline impacted by hearing loss?
While there is no solid finding or conclusive proof that hearing loss causes cognitive decline and mental health issues, there is some connection and numerous clues that experts are looking at. They think two main situations are responsible: the inability to interact socially and your brain working overtime.
Many studies show that solitude leads to depression and anxiety. And people are not as likely to socialize with other people when they have hearing loss. Many people find it difficult to go out to the movies or dinner because they can’t hear very well. Mental health issues can be the result of this path of solitude.
Additionally, researchers have discovered that the brain often has to work harder to make up for the fact that the ears don’t hear as well as they should. The region of the brain that processes sounds, like voices in a conversation, needs more help from other parts of the brain – specifically, the part of the brain that keeps our memories intact. This overtaxes the brain and causes cognitive decline to set in a lot faster than if the brain was able to process sounds normally.
Using hearing aids to prevent cognitive decline
The first line of defense against mental health problems and mental decline is hearing aids. Research has revealed that patients improved their cognitive functions and were at a lower risk of developing dementia when they used hearing aids to combat their hearing loss.
If more people used their hearing aids, we may see fewer cases of mental health issues and cognitive decline. Of all the people who need hearing aids, only between 15% and 30% actually use them, that’s between 5 and 9 million people. Almost 50 million people cope with dementia as reported by the World Health Organization estimates. For many people and families, the quality of life will be enhanced if hearing aids can decrease that number by even a couple million people.
Are you ready to begin hearing better – and remembering things without any problems? Get in touch with us today and schedule a consultation to find out if hearing aids are right for you and to get on the path to better mental health.
References
https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/blogs/protecting-your-hearing-means-protecting-your-mental-health