Johns Hopkins University & National Institutes of Health Discover Link between Hearing Loss & Dementia

Recent studies have linked untreated and undiagnosed hearing loss to:

Irritability, anger, & negative attitude.
Fatigue, depression, stress, & tension.
Anti-social behavior.
Reduced alertness & increased risk of personal & family safety.
Impaired memory & unwillingness to learn new tasks.
A gradual decline in overall health.

dementia

Symptomatic Comparison of Alzheimer’s Disease & Untreated Hearing Loss*

swhc-chart

Treating Hearing Loss Helps Improve Alertness & Memory Loss!

The Link

Research scientists and doctors at the Johns Hopkins Medical University and the National Institutes of Health have found a link between hearing loss and dementia. As yet, the actual link or “trigger” between the two conditions is still unknown. However, some believe the strain placed on the brain to “decode” sounds for “meaning” over long periods of time may overwhelm brain functions with “garbled messaging” because of long-term hearing loss.

Affects Cognitive Abilities

Those with hearing loss could become more susceptible to dementia.
Another theory is that because gradual long-term hearing loss fosters social isolation and depression – it affects abilities related to memory and normal reasoning functions of the brain.
Even though the cause of the relationship between hearing loss and dementia is unknown, researchers say it is important for individuals at risk to retain their ability to hear clearly.
One point of common ground doctors and scientists seem to agree on is that it is a good practice to use all available interventions to retain your hearing.

Who Is At Risk?

Veterans
Firemen
Musicians
Factory Workers

Police Officers
Pilots
Hunters

Men are most at risk for hearing loss because they traditionally work in audiohostile environ-ments and are exposed to loud noises, explosions, jet engines, and gunfire. Events that happened at a young age could result in hearing loss by middle age, and then get progressively worse as you grow older. Research also shows that women with diabetes are also at risk of experiencing consequences of hearing loss that could lead to cognitive decline.

Call Your Local Hearing Expert For Your Complimentary Hearing Test

Your Hearing Loss May Be A More Serious Problem

For many, the easiest interventions are to get your hearing tested to determine if your hearing loss is as simple as wax build up in the ear canal, or to find out if you may have a more serious problem.
According to the study leader, Frank Lin, M.D., Ph. D., “Researchers have looked at what affects hearing loss, but few have looked at how hearing loss affects cognitive brain function.”
The study postulates that the greater the hearing loss – the increased likelihood of developing memory-robbing diseases, like Alzheimer’s.