Hearing Loss and Dementia?
Does hearing loss interfere with your lifestyle?
A recent study by Johns Hopkins and National Institute on Aging suggests that there may be a link between hearing loss and the development of dementia in the elderly. The report, published in February of 2011, states that people with hearing loss may be as much as five times more likely to develop dementia as people with normal hearing. The greater the degree of hearing loss, the greater the chances of dementia.
The cause for the link between hearing loss and dementia is unclear and has not been studied in great detail. There are several speculations, including that hearing loss can often lead to social isolation, a known risk factor for dementia and other cognitive disorders. The exact nature of this link may continue to be a mystery as few researchers have studied how hearing loss affects cognitive brain function.
Whatever the cause for the relationship between hearing loss and dementia, the scientists report that their finding might offer hope for an intervention in the development of dementia. Something as simple as hearing aids, a supplement to assist an aged or compromised auditory system, may delay or even prevent the onset and development of dementia.
This study affirms Advanced Hearing Care’s call to action to our patients. Don’t wait for old age to hear what you’ve been missing. Effective diagnosis and treatment of your hearing loss could be an easy way to keep dementia or other cognitive impairments at bay. Call today and reintroduce yourself to a world of sound!