Hearing loss and dementia are both natural consequences of aging. But did you know that hearing loss itself could cause dementia?

Several different diseases can cause dementia and one of them is hearing loss. You may be overlooking your hearing loss for years and feel healthy but it is more serious than you think! Hearing loss affects mental health and dementia really is one effect of untreated hearing loss!  

The chances of mental decline go up according to scientists the worse your hearing problems are! Although researchers are still not sure about the exact connection between hearing loss and dementia, they strongly believe there are several ways that hearing loss could lead to dementia. 

 Is Dementia rare? No! Roughly 50 million people worldwide have dementia, and nearly 10 million new cases occur every year. 

Dementia builds around the following: 

• Cognitive load. When you constantly strain in order to hear or understand, the brain gets stressed out. The resources that would normally go into storing what’s being said in your memory are spent on understanding what’s being said in the first place.  

• Brain structure. Hearing loss may affect the structure of your brain in a way that contributes to cognitive problems. Brain imaging studies show that older adults with hearing loss have less grey matter in the part of their brain that receives and processes sounds from the ears. That’s because certain structures of brain cells can shrink when they don’t get enough stimulation.

• Social isolation. If it’s hard to hear what people are saying and to follow conversations, you might prefer just to stay home instead of going out and socializing. But when you cut yourself off from your friends, family and your active life, you become less social and less engaged. When your brain doesn’t get enough stimuli throughout the day, you increase your risk of developing dementia.

Keep your brain health… But remember don’t forget to take care of your hearing! 

Because it’s important to keep your brain healthy, it’s also important to keep your hearing healthy too. So don’t let your hearing loss grow. If you have any suspicion that  you have a hearing loss, reach out for help. 

There is a solution to hearing problems, the hearing aids ! Depending on your specific type of hearing loss you will find a great range to meet your needs. Severe or profound hearing loss, cochlear implants will make your best partner! 

A hearing care professional is the person who can help you figure out how you can prevent your hearing loss from worsening and keep your grey cells intact. Contact Cyprus Audiology Center today and get a diagnosis! The right hearing aid will brighten your days!