Age-related hearing loss can have broad impacts across your entire life. Besides your ability to hear, your professional life, your social life, and even your cognitive clarity can also be affected. The way your brain works, including your mood and memory, can be significantly affected by hearing loss.
The relationship between cognition and hearing loss isn’t always evident. For instance, one of the earliest symptoms of hearing loss could be forgetfulness, but people rarely think that their memory problems are associated with a loss of hearing. Sadly, the truth is that memory loss and hearing loss are closely connected.
What’s the link between memory and hearing loss? Well, the connection is at least partly related to the unique ways that hearing loss can strain and stress your brain. Your mental abilities will normally improve when you manage your hearing loss.
How hearing loss impacts memory
Hearing loss can be hard to notice. Often, individuals fail to notice the early warning signs and more subtle symptoms. Hearing loss might only be recognized, for individuals in this category, when it becomes more severe. The development of hearing loss is usually slow over time and that’s partly why it’s initially difficult to recognize. It’s commonly easy to disregard symptoms and, basically, raise the volume on your television a little more every few days (or weeks).
Another factor is how good the brain is at compensating for loss of sound. Consequently, you may not notice that people are harder to understand. This is beneficial in that you will probably experience fewer disruptions to your daily life. But it takes a considerable amount of brain power to compensate in this way. Here are a few consequences of asking your brain to do this over long time periods.:
- Unexplained irritability
- Chronic fatigue
- Memory loss or forgetfulness
If you’re experiencing these symptoms, we’ll be able to tell you whether the underlying cause is hearing loss or not. In instances where hearing loss is present, we’ll work with you to establish a treatment plan.
Can hearing loss result in memory problems?
Obviously, your brain can be affected by hearing loss in other ways besides mental exhaustion. Forgetfulness is frequently a notable presentation. This is particularly true of untreated hearing loss. The cause and effect relationship is not entirely understood, but it’s clear that there is a connection between hearing loss and the following issues:
- Increased risk of dementia: People who have neglected hearing loss frequently exhibit an increased danger of dementia and mental decline. This risk falls dramatically when the hearing loss is treated and managed.
- Increased risk of depression and anxiety: Research has shown that neglected hearing loss can also result in increases in both depression and anxiety over time. And once again, when the underlying hearing loss has been managed, the risk factor drops considerably.
- Social isolation: People with neglected hearing loss will frequently begin to isolate themselves from other people. You’ll go out less often, talk to the cashier at the supermarket less, and so on. Over time, this type of isolation can alter the way your brain is functioning.
All of these issues are obviously intertwined. Social solitude can worsen depression and other mental health issues. Likewise, that kind of solitude can also increase your risk of developing dementia.
Does hearing loss cause mental decline?
Your risk of cognitive decline and dementia is increased by neglected hearing loss, and that’s one of the more serious consequences of neglecting your hearing issues. Scientists have a few theories about why this might be, but what’s obvious is that management of symptoms helps considerably. In other words, treating your hearing loss has been shown to slow cognitive decline and decrease your risk of developing dementia down the road.
Dealing with hearing loss related forgetfulness
If your fatigue and memory loss are caused by untreated hearing loss, the good news is that treating your hearing loss symptoms can absolutely have a positive effect. Here are a few things we might suggest if hearing loss is identified:
- Hearing protection: Some of the mental decline previously mentioned can be avoided and additional damage can be decreased by using hearing protection.
- Regular screenings: Routine screenings can help you identify issues with your hearing before they become significant problems. Cognitive strain can be avoided with early management.
- The use of hearing aids: Utilizing a hearing aid can help you hear better. Your social life can be improved and your cognitive abilities will have less strain by using hearing aids. Your risk of dementia, depression, and other possible issues can be decreased and your cognition can be improved by limiting your social isolation.
You can improve your memory
You can restore strength of memory even if hearing loss is presently causing a little forgetfulness. Once the strain on your brain is alleviated, your mental function, in many instances, will sharpen. When you hear better, your brain doesn’t need to work so hard, and that rest can do a world of good.
Making an appointment with us can greatly improve your outlook and decrease your risk for other problems. Contact us today!
