It’s no secret that hearing loss can lead to other effects on your body, especially on your balance and your brain. Your cognitive abilities, related to your memory and motor skills, are connected to your hearing; your brain processes the sounds you hear and makes them into information you remember.
There are several scientific studies that link untreated hearing loss to cognitive decline—and the more studies that come out, the more we see a strong connection between the two.
The Biggest Peer-Reviewed Study in History
In December 2022, members of the National University of Singapore Brian Sheng Yep Yeo, MBBS; Harris Jun Jie Muhammad Danial Song, MBBS; and Emma Min Shuen Toh, MBBS took on an in-depth study that looked to realize the connection between untreated hearing loss and cognitive decline.
This worldwide trial included 137,484 participants across 13 studies conducted in Europe, 12 studies conducted in North America, three studies conducted in Asia, and two studies conducted in Australasia.
The findings were astonishing—the participants in the trial that used hearing aids saw a 19 percent reduction in long-term cognitive decline. For participants who started the trial with mild cognitive impairment, hearing aids still proved beneficial and saw a 20 percent lower risk of progressing to dementia symptoms.
- Reduction in long-term cognitive decline 19%
- Lower risk of progressing to dementia symptoms 20%
This is one of the most highly conclusive studies out there showing that cognitive decline and hearing loss go together. Thankfully, the good news is that hearing loss is remarkably easy to treat.
How Can Professional Hearing Care Help Me?
With a comprehensive hearing assessment, you can understand the current range of your hearing and see what you need to help enhance your hearing and avoid cognitive decline.
Alaska Hearing and Tinnitus Center’s hearing assessments provide you with a detailed audiogram of your hearing so that we can craft your personalized hearing care plan with you in mind.
A hearing test is noninvasive and quick, and it will bring clarity and ease to your hearing concerns. I personally have seen several people come in for their first hearing test feeling skeptical and even uncomfortable thinking about if they need hearing care, or hearing aids.
Those same people always leave our clinic feeling confident and reassured that they made the right choice in seeking out hearing care.
If you’re curious about hearing care and how to avoid cognitive decline, we’re happy to help!
Simply request a callback and we’ll get in touch with you as soon as we can. Alternatively, you can contact us at (907) 522-4357.
