Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Surprising News about the Link Between Dementia and Hearing Loss

Has hearing loss slowly crept up on you? Many people think of aging-related hearing loss as a minor annoyance, not a serious health issue. But there is evidence that hearing loss could be directly related to the onset of dementia, according to a joint study in 2011 by Johns Hopkins University and the National Institute on Aging. 

Researchers aren’t sure why there’s a connection between hearing loss and dementia. One theory is that the social isolation experienced by people with hearing loss makes them more vulnerable to cognitive problems like dementia. Another possibility is that the onset of dementia is related to the cumulative stress of trying to make sense of garbled sounds. Scientists say that when you’re extremely focused on translating random sounds into an understandable sentence, there’s no brain power left for other functions. The technical term for this struggle is “cognitive load.” 

Meanwhile, it’s clear that proactively guarding your hearing health provides multiple benefits. Good hearing health – and cognitive health —starts with a simple hearing check. If you’ve noticed any difference in your hearing, or if others have pointed out that you may have a hearing problem, experts say that you should make an appointment with an audiologist to assess the situation. And if you already use hearing aids but feel that you may be missing some parts of conversations, it’s a good idea to have your hearing aids reprogrammed or replaced by a specialist.

Did you know that these problems can be caused by hearing loss?

  • Isolation and loneliness
  • Relationship difficulties
  • Fatigue
  • Memory and attention lapses
  • Depression and anxiety


If your quality of life has diminished because of hearing loss, consider contacting a hearing professional. Your personal hearing solution may be simpler than you think.

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