A A recent study Examination of a possible relationship between hearing loss and dementia, which indicates that the treatment of hearing loss can help the brain. Although potential contact is still not infected Nicholas Reed It is recommended to determine the priorities of hearing health regardless.
“There is already more than the firm benefits related to hearing a care,” says Reid, a faculty member at the optimal aging institute at New York University Langon Health.
Reed explains that what is particularly important in supporting hearing health is the effect that people have to keep people participating in the world. Here are what experts recommend to support the hearing with your age.
How does hearing loss occur?
Hearing loss can result from Wide range From genetic and environmental factors, such as chronic diseases and smoking. Some also suffer from age -related hearing loss, called Designed by Sheikhi.
Red explains that hearing loss “is not related to size.” Instead, it is a clarity issue. We lose heard at different frequencies at different rates, which can make sounds distorted.
Red says there is a tendency to “normalize hearing loss with our age somewhat.” Other conditions can look more urgent, and hearing loss becomes a low priority. Red says that there are “estuaries” in the context of health care because hearing loss can hinder communication between the patient.
What is the relationship between hearing loss and dementia?
Early research indicates that hearing loss is related to Increased cognitive decline and Increased risk of new cases of dementiaAlthough more studies are needed to understand this connection. However, researchers did not find the cause of the cause and the result between hearing loss and dementia.
Red and his colleagues wanted to do so Calculate the number of cases of dementia There can be in the population if a potential risk factor is eliminated, in this case hearing loss. They used a sample of approximately 3000 adults between the ages of 66 to 90 and found 32 % of the risk of dementia in the sample group may be associated with hearing hearing loss (hearing loss is measured through the test).
According to the authors, these results indicate that the treatment of hearing loss may delay the appearance of dementia in some older adults. However, this research cannot determine whether hearing loss causes dementia, as explained by co -author Jason Smith, post -doctoral researcher at North Carolina University.
Red says that one of the potential causes of the link associated with cognitive changes is that it can lead to more social isolation, which may be due to the brain and affect memory. Another theory is that since auditory signals stimulate the brain, the lack of stimulation caused by hearing loss can lead to acceleration Brain atrophy.
If hearing problems are linked to an increase in the risk of dementia, are there ways of this Reducing this danger? 2020 Lancet effect a report It is recommended to use hearing devices and protect the ears from excessive exposure to noise. 2023 analysis I found a relationship between the use of devices such as hearing devices and a low risk of cognitive decline. but, More search is needed.
What can you do to prevent hearing loss?
Hearing loss is not an inevitable part of aging. But certain FactorsLike the changes related to age on the inner ear and the auditory nerve, as well as inheritance, outside our control.
We can still alleviate the possibility of damage from other causes. For example, we can manage the conditions associated with hearing loss, such as High blood pressure and Diabetic. We can also reduce exposure to sources NoiseLike construction equipment, grass gaze, motorcycles and loud music. Small verbs, such as protecting your hearing at a loud concert with excess headphones, which prefer Red over earplts, can have a great effect.
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“A healthy lifestyle and healthy listening habits can get a long way,” says Reid.
Red also recommends starting hearing test in the late thirties or 1940s. Create the foundation line can help you determine the changes over time, and indicate whether new habits may be useful. The longer the duration of living with hearing weakness, the more difficult to adapt to tools such as hearing devices.
Is it possible to reverse hearing loss?
Many treatments and devices can help relieve hearing loss, but their effectiveness depends on the individual. If you suspect that you have hearing problems, it is best to check your hearing and discuss options with your health care provider.
Hearing devices can be purchased over the counter Or with a prescription. Red says that you know how to wear it takes Time and practice. There is a critical general healthy need Expanding coverage Smith says, for these tools, because hearing devices can surely improve the quality of life.
While studies have not proven that hearing devices will delay dementia, scientists are fascinated by their ability to support brain health.
“The idea is that, in theory, if a person uses hearing devices, communication becomes easier and reduce the burden of cognitive load,” says Reid. “You stimulate the brain with more auditory signals.”
Reid says that survival participating in social networks is essential to maintaining mental and physical luxury. In 2025 Ticketand Reed and his colleagues found that among the people with hearing loss, the participants who received hearing devices received and advised advice on their use, suffering from a feeling of loneliness and social isolation. They also had a variety of communications, such as friends, family and acquaintances.
Likewise, help Techniques It may help. This range is widely in function and design, but in general the amplification of sound, reduces the background noise, and improves communication. For example, Applications This talk can help the text in phone calls, and he hears the personal audio speakers can enhance the conversations. Red says that people with moderate hearing loss to moderate may find some satisfaction in settings such as crowded restaurants through elements such as Apple AirPods Pro 2, which features compact hearing aid.
In some cases, what a person can help better manage hearing loss is how to support it by his community. Smith says that there are more fair environments that support people with sensory health needs.
“Some contacts can go away,” says Reed. “Good communication is looking for someone in the face. He talks slowly. It is about reformulating the context and adding context.”