Increased Risk of Dementia Among People with Hearing Loss

The unfortunate reality is that hearing loss can be a risk factor for developing dementia. This is why if you notice yourself or your loved ones are having difficulty hearing, it is important to get it checked out as quickly as possible to avoid any negative side effects.

There are a few reasons why hearing loss can eventually lead to an increased risk of dementia, including:

Social Isolation

Hearing loss can make it difficult for individuals to be active in social situations and conversations, which can lead to social isolation and loneliness. Both social isolation and loneliness have been linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline and eventually dementia.

Brain Atrophy

Hearing loss can potentially even cause brain atrophy in areas of the brain involved in auditory processing. This atrophy can then spread to other areas of the brain, increasing the risk of developing dementia.

Cognitive Load

When individuals with hearing loss try to communicate, they may need to exert extra cognitive effort to understand what is being said, which be taxing on their cognitive resources. This extra cognitive load can lead to cognitive decline over time as well as feelings of overall burnout.

Shared Underlying Causes

Lastly, hearing loss and dementia may share common underlying causes, such as cardiovascular disease.

Our Solution

If you or a loved one is experiencing hearing loss, we recommend making an appointment at Vibrant Hearing as soon as possible. We will start by conducting a thorough hearing test on you that covers much more than just wearing headphones and identifying tones and pitches.

First, we will lead a discussion with you about your personal and family background as well as the volume of noise that you are typically subjected to in your day-to-day life.

Next, we will perform a thorough examination of your outer ears, ear canals, and eardrums to identify or rule out any potential obstructions or damage.

Next, we will have you proceed with the testing process, including:

• A pure-tone test that allows us to determine your ability to hear at different tones and volumes.
• A speech assessment to assess how well you can understand quiet and loud conversations in various environments.
• An air pressure test that will measure how well your eardrum and middle ear muscles react to different changes in pressure.

Once our experienced team has analyzed the results of your hearing test, we will be able to identify and begin the best course of action for you.

Contact Us

Take the first steps towards lowering your risk of dementia and contact Vibrant Hearing to schedule a hearing test appointment. Our clinic in Missoula, MT, has been serving residents since 1970 and we are eager to show you why we come so highly recommended.

In addition to our hearing tests, we also offer an impressive selection of hearing aids and accessories, as well as professional repair services to ensure your devices are always functioning properly.