| Posted on: | Category: Hearing aids | Dementia
Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association confirmed hearing aids reduce the risk of dementia by 19% in people with hearing loss. The study also measured a 3% increase in cognitive scores with hearing-aid use.
Why it matters
- If you have hearing loss, you can effectively reduce your risk of cognitive decline and dementia triggered by hearing loss by wearing hearing aids.
- Untreated hearing loss increases the risk of dementia.
- Untreated hearing loss damages the brain permanently.
A closer look
How do hearing aids reduce the risk of dementia? The combination of three hypotheses likely explains the cognitive benefits.
- The cognitive-load hypothesis: Hearing aids reduce the effort it takes your brain to process signals from your ears. Hearing loss increases the effort resulting in fewer resources for high-level brain functions and memory.
- The sensory deficit hypothesis: Hearing aids increase the amount of auditory signals to the brain preventing permanent brain atrophy from untreated hearing loss.
- The social-isolation hypothesis: Hearing aids facilitate socializing. Untreated hearing loss results in less interaction, which promotes cognitive decline and depression.
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Do you have untreated hearing loss?
Don't guess. Find out. Call us to schedule a free, 15-minute hearing screening with an audiologist.
If you have hearing loss, your audiologist will explain
- How much hearing you've lost
- Whether your hearing needs treatment now or later
- The most effective treatment plan
