September is World Alzheimer’s Month, an opportunity for people of all ages to learn more about the brain and support those struggling with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer’s affects an estimated six million Americans and kills more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.1
World Alzheimer’s Month is also an excellent time to explore the connection between hearing loss and dementia. Evidence has shown that people with hearing loss are up to five times as likely to develop dementia than those with normal hearing2 and that unaddressed hearing loss is one of the highest modifiable risk factors for developing dementia.3
Now, a new UK study reveals that wearing hearing aids can help minimize the progression of dementia.4
What the Study Found
According to Dr. Sarah Bauermeister, senior scientist at Dementia Platforms UK, the study followed 2,000 people with hearing loss and mild cognitive impairment.
“We found that these people, if they had hearing impairment and wore their hearing aid, the progression from mild cognitive impairment to dementia was reduced by 27%,” said Dr. Bauermeister.
Since hearing loss occurs gradually over time, people may only notice they have it once it reaches an advanced stage. Identifying hearing loss as soon as possible is crucial—and as the new study shows, getting treatment with hearing aids can significantly impact more than just your ears.
The bottom line? The earlier you make hearing testing part of your health care routine, the better off you will be when it comes to your cognition.
Contact Hearing Focused at (262) 679–8888 to schedule a hearing evaluation. We offer thorough audiological testing, new hearing aids, hearing protection, and counseling for total patient satisfaction.
1 Alzheimer’s Association. (2023). About Alzheimer’s. https://act.alz.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=walk_about_alzheimers
2 Lin, F. et al. (2011). Hearing loss and incident dementia. JAMA Neurology. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/802291
3 The Lancet. (2017). Risk factors for dementia. https://www.thelancet.com/infographics-do/dementia-risk
4 Dorking, MC. (2023). Dementia could be prevented by regular hearing tests in your 30s, experts advise. https://ph.news.yahoo.com/dementia-prevented-regular-hearing-tests-in-thirties-093306755.html