Are you forgetting something? It’s not your imagination. It really is becoming more difficult to remember things in everyday life. Once you become aware of it, loss of memory seems to develop quickly. The more you are aware of it, the more incapacitating it becomes. Did you know memory loss is connected to hearing loss?
And no, this isn’t simply a normal part of aging. There’s always a root cause for the loss of the ability to process memories.
For many that cause is neglected hearing loss. Is your memory being impacted by hearing loss? You can slow the onset of memory loss significantly and maybe even get some back if you are aware of the cause.
This is what you should know.
How memory loss can be triggered by untreated hearing loss
They aren’t unrelated. As a matter of fact, researchers have found that people who have neglected hearing loss are 24% more likely to experience dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other severe cognitive problems.
There are complex interrelated reasons for this.
Mental fatigue
Initially, the brain will have to work harder to compensate for hearing loss. You have to strain to listen to something. While this came naturally in the past, it’s now something your brain needs to strain to process.
It becomes necessary to activate deductive reasoning. When attempting to listen, you eliminate the unlikely possibilities to figure out what someone probably said.
This puts lots of added stress on the brain. It’s especially stressful when your deductive reasoning skills lead you astray. This can cause embarrassment, misconceptions, and even bitterness.
How we process memory can be significantly affected by stress. Mental resources that we should be utilizing for memory get tied up when we’re dealing with stress.
As the hearing loss progresses, something new takes place.
Feeling older
This stress of having to work harder to hear and asking people to repeat themselves makes a person “feel older” than they are. This can begin a downhill spiral in which thoughts of “getting old” when you’re still young become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Social isolation
We’re all familiar with that narrative of someone whose loneliness causes them to lose their grip on the world around them. We humans are social creatures. Even introverts struggle when they’re never with others.
A person with untreated hearing loss gradually becomes isolated. Talking on the phone becomes a chore. Social gatherings are less enjoyable because you have to ask people to repeat what they said. You begin to be excluded from conversations by friends and family. Even when you’re in a setting with lots of people, you might space out and feel alone. The radio may not even be there to keep you company after a while.
It’s just better to spend more time alone. You feel like you can’t relate to your friends now because you feel older than them even though you’re not.
This regular lack of mental stimulation makes it harder for the brain to process new information.
Brain atrophy
As somebody with untreated hearing loss starts to seclude themselves either physically or even mentally, a chain reaction initiates in the brain. There’s no more stimulation reaching parts of the brain. When this occurs, those parts of the brain atrophy and quit working.
Our brain functions are extremely coordinated. Skills like problem solving, learning, speech, and memory are all linked to hearing.
This lack of function in one area of the brain can gradually spread to other brain functions like hearing. Loss of memory is connected to this process.
It’s analogous to how the legs become atrophied when someone is bedridden for a long period of time. Muscles become weak when they’re sick in bed over a long time period of time. They may possibly just stop working completely. They may need to get physical therapy to learn to walk again.
But when it comes to the brain, this damage is a great deal more difficult to rehabilitate. Shrinkage actually happens to the brain. Doctors can see this on brain scans.
How memory loss can be stopped by hearing aids
If you’re reading this, then you’re probably still in the beginning stages of memory loss. It may be barely noticeable. It’s not the hearing loss itself that is leading to memory loss, and that’s the good news.
It’s untreated hearing loss.
Studies have revealed that individuals with hearing loss who regularly wear their hearing aid have the same chance of developing memory loss as someone of the same age with healthy hearing. The advancement of memory loss was slowed in people who began wearing their hearing aids after experiencing symptoms.
As you age, try to remain connected and active. If you want to keep your memory intact you need to recognize that it’s closely linked to hearing loss. Pay attention to the health of your hearing. Schedule a hearing test. And if there’s any reason you’re not wearing your hearing aid, please consult us about treatment options – we can help!
