The Link Between Hearing Loss And Cognitive Decline

Untreated hearing loss can have significant ramifications on cognitive decline. Studies have shown that individuals with hearing loss are more likely to experience cognitive decline and develop dementia compared to those without hearing loss. The reason for this connection is thought to be related to the cognitive load placed on the brain when trying to compensate for hearing loss. When someone is struggling to hear, their brain must work harder to fill in the missing pieces of information, which can lead to increased cognitive fatigue and a decline in cognitive function over time.

We’re going to take a closer look at this link today and what we should all know about it moving forward. So, whether you have hearing loss or not, read on and learn about the link between cognitive decline and hearing problems.

The Increasing Concern About Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline

Research has shown in recent years that there likely is a link between hearing loss and cognitive decline. There’s still a lot more research that needs to be carried out in this subject area though as it’s not all entirely clear right now. There are lots of theories and ideas about why this link exists, but there’s no definitive consensus on why it happens. All we know is that a link exists, and that’s something that each and every one of us should be paying attention to.

What is Hearing Loss and What Causes It?

Before we delve any further into this, what actually is hearing loss? There is a definition of hearing loss that’s usually used when deciding whether someone actually has hearing loss or not. If a person doesn’t have a normal range of hearing in both ears, they can be considered to be experiencing hearing loss. And that normal range is set at 20dBs or better. If one or both ears are not able to hear noises at those volume levels, the person has hearing loss.

The Scientific Links Between Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline

There have been many different studies that show the link between hearing loss and cognitive decline. One such example is a study that looked at brain scans of people with hearing loss and compared it to a control group of people without hearing loss. Those scans showed a faster rate of atrophy in the brains of those who were experiencing hearing loss. Hearing loss is also associated with damage to the stereocilia, which send messages to the brain. So if these are damaged, it can have a knock-on effect on cognitive capabilities.

The Role of Social Isolation

The role of social isolation is something that lots of scientists have talked about when it comes to the link between cognitive decline and hearing loss. When we no longer are able to hear other people properly, we might not spend time with friends as much or hold conversations with other people. That can then lead to further problems as our cognitive capabilities decline as a result of that deprivation of social interaction. As humans, we’re all social creatures and we need those social interactions if we’re going to stay healthy and mentally well going forward, especially when in older age.

Memory, Language and Communication Problems

Lots of people who experience cognitive decline and hearing loss already have problems with things like communication, but these things are exacerbated and made worse when both things are present. Lots of people start developing memory problems and they also might experience a decline in their language capabilities. Communication becomes a big problem for many people in this situation, and when they’re no longer able to communicate with others, that cognitive decline, unfortunately, declines even more sharply and rapidly.

Treatment Options for Hearing Loss

Because of all of the things we’ve talked about, it’s really important to seek treatment for hearing loss. You can avoid the development of unnecessary cognitive decline by seeking help and speaking to a hearing instrument specialist who can help you get the assistance you need. With a hearing aid in place, you can hear more clearly and communicate with others better than you would otherwise have been able to. The one thing that you definitely shouldn’t do is allow yourself to experience the symptoms of hearing loss in silence or to ignore them. It’ll only cause more damage in the long run.

If you want to find out more about hearing loss and the link it has to cognitive decline, we can help you with that here at Hear Clear. Remember, if you’re experiencing hearing loss, treatment is vital if you want to avoid the links that hearing loss has to cognitive declines. If you want to get in touch with our team, you can do so by calling (603) 455-8777.