Skip to main content How Does Hearing Loss Increase Dementia Risk?
Keep Your Mind Sharp With Expert Care
Hearing loss affects many older adults. At first, you may struggle to hear in a loud restaurant. But hearing loss is degenerative and will progress to the point that you can't hear the sounds around you at all. Without intervention from a specialist, you may disconnect and withdraw from friends and family, which has profoundly negative effects on your memory, mood, and cognition.
Hearing Loss & Dementia
Hearing loss does more than just interfere with your ability to have a conversation. It affects your social skills and reduces activity in the part of the brain that processes sound. Without treatment, your brain will stop interpreting input from your ears permanently.
Hearing loss and losing the ear–brain connection leads to:
- Feelings of isolation
- Depression or anxiety
- Loss of interest in activities
- Loss of independence
- Withdrawal from friends or family
Social interaction and independence are not only necessary for happiness—they’re vital to cognitive health and brain function. Your brain needs stimulation and input from the environment to be healthy.
Without these, your quality of life decreases, and you’re at a 200-500% higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
Learn More About Hearing Loss & Dementia in the Video Below
Symptoms & Treatment
The early symptoms of hearing loss include difficulty filtering background noise, tinnitus (a buzzing or ringing sound in your ears), or trouble focusing on what you want to hear.
The earlier you get treatment, the better the outcome. A hearing specialist will perform a hearing test to determine the proper treatment plan. Excellence In Audiology™ practices offer new treatments, including advanced hearing technology, to restore your hearing and preserve your cognitive function.
The Best Hearing Specialists Help Preserve Your Hearing Health
Don’t wait to restore your hearing! Lower your risk of dementia by contacting an Excellence In Audiology™ practice for a hearing evaluation today.
