Cognitive Decline and Hearing Loss – Unlocking the Connection
Most people don’t associate hearing loss with cognitive decline. We simply attribute both issues to aging. Yet, what if there were a link between them? Furthermore, what if we could prevent or slow down cognitive decline by being proactive about our health?
Current research has established a link between untreated hearing loss and cognitive decline, with surprising results.
How is Untreated Hearing Loss Tied to Cognitive Decline?
Researchers believe that hearing loss impacts cognitive functioning in three distinct ways:
- Cognitive load: When hearing loss occurs, the brain must work harder to recognize sounds. This overworking leads to fatigue in those experiencing hearing loss. When a person cannot hear certain sounds, the brain strains to fill in the gaps while recognizing context/cues, causing it to work harder. Over time, this takes its toll on cognitive functioning.
- Limited auditory input: When the brain isn’t receiving enough auditory stimulation, researchers speculate that areas of the brain shrink.
- Social withdrawal: Hearing loss causes people to isolate themselves, which leads to brain deterioration.
Hearing aids target lost pathways, reducing brain overload. They increase brain stimulation while allowing people to become more socially engaged.
Maintaining an Active Mind
The best way to keep your mind active is to be proactive about your health. This involves attending regular checkups and making healthier choices. This approach is a powerful tool in preventing and reducing cognitive decline, such as dementia. It’s about empowering yourself to maintain your cognitive health.
Our brain requires constant sensory input and challenges to remain active. When we engage our brain, we keep the neural pathways active. This, in turn, slows down cognitive decline (dementia). Dementia involves an impaired ability to think, remember, or make decisions. It interferes with daily functioning. Staying active can also help with cognitive decline symptoms.
Protection and Prevention
Hearing loss has several causes; some diseases place individuals at a higher risk. For example, those diagnosed with diabetes and heart disease have a higher risk of hearing loss.
Our ears receive stimulation from the cochleovestibular nerve, which provides spatial positioning and sound to your brain. It provides us with our hearing and balance. Injury to this nerve leads to balance issues and hearing loss.
Additional causes involve loud noise environments (work and recreational), age, family history, medications, and sickness.
Individuals can protect their hearing in the following ways:
- Wear protective ear coverings in loud environments. Furthermore, ensure that the ear coverings provide enough protective barriers for your environment. Different locations have different decibels of noise, and your ear coverings should be able to dampen that noise effectively.
- Avoid turning up the volume on the television or for music. When we are young, we often love cranking up the tunes! However, this has a detrimental effect on our hearing.
- Be proactive about your hearing health. Regular visits to an audiologist or specialist, even if you don’t have hearing loss, can establish a hearing baseline that can be closely monitored. This crucial proactive approach helps detect potential issues early, thus reducing their impact.
- Never dismiss hearing issues. If you are aware of hearing loss, don’t delay getting it checked. The faster you obtain a diagnosis, the better quality of life you will experience.
How do hearing aids help with cognitive decline?
Hearing aids can be transformative for individuals facing mild cognitive impairment symptoms. They provide the necessary auditory stimulation, allowing for better hearing. By reducing the brain’s strain to fill in gaps or understand speech contexts, hearing aids can significantly ease the cognitive load, making daily life more manageable.
Audio stimulation helps the brain remain sharp by providing feedback. It engages the brain on a positive level and enhances life’s experiences. This sensory feedback slows down cognitive decline.
Furthermore, a JAMA study concluded that there is a reduced cognitive decline in those with cochlear implants and in people wearing hearing aids. The challenge experts face is that people wait ten years or more to have their hearing tested. They make an appointment when their hearing loss is more noticeable, and health damage already exists.
People avoid hearing aids because of their stigma, aging concerns, technological uncertainty, and worry that wearing them will change their appearance.
While the concerns are understandable, it’s equally important to acknowledge significant advances in hearing aid engineering. Today’s devices are more discreet and user-friendly than ever before. They offer options suited to your lifestyle and needs, and are almost undetectable. They are a modern solution to a common issue.
Visit Hearing Solutions to Book Your Hearing Test
If you have noticed a decline in your ability to hear, experienced social isolation, depression, or are feeling more tired than usual, it may be time to check your hearing. Even if you find there are no noticeable changes in your hearing or overall health, it’s worth it to get your hearing checked regularly.
Once the signs of hearing issues are noticeable, significant damage may have already occurred. Catching these issues early is the best way to prevent further damage, as well as to proactively protect against the other negative affects of poor hearing.
Contact Hearing Solutions at 1-888-811-9799 to book your free appointment. You can also book hearing test appointments online.
References
Hearing aids slow cognitive decline in people at high risk. (2023, August 22). National Institutes of Health (NIH). https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/hearing-aids-slow-cognitive-decline-people-high-risk
Hearing tests for adults: What to expect. (2023, May 28). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hearing-tests-for-adults
De Luca, C. (2023b, March 14). What to expect at a hearing test. Hearing Directory. https://www.hearingdirectory.ca/help/hearing-loss/tests
La Grassa, J. (2023, July 19). Hearing aids, and counselling may slow cognitive decline for some seniors, new study finds. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/hearing-aids-cognitive-decline-dementia-1.6909911
