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Dementia and hearing loss: What’s the risk?

Although dementia has many risk factors, hearing loss is one factor that you can treat and manage

Having to face the possibility that your hearing just isn’t what it used to be can is certainly a scary proposition. If the effects are mild, it can be easy to sweep them under the rug and tell yourself that it’s a problem for down the road.


For many people, this is a very common outcome. Around 14 percent of people with hearing loss actually seek out help for their hearing challenges.


There are many reasons why it is important to address hearing issues early on, and the connection between hearing loss and dementia is a reason near the top of the list.


Although dementia has many risk factors, hearing loss is one factor that you can treat and manage. 


The connection between hearing loss and dementia

A John Hopkins School of Medicine study from 2011 found a significant connection between people with a hearing impairment and people who were eventually diagnosed with dementia. The risk factor for dementia was different for those with mild, moderate and severe hearing loss.


  • Mild hearing loss = 200% increased risk of dementia
  • Moderate hearing loss = 300% increased risk of dementia
  • Severe hearing loss = 500% increased risk of dementia


As it is believed that up to 30% of adults face some level of hearing loss in their lives,

these numbers pose a great risk for a great many.


Use it or lose it

Hearing loss is one of the most common modifiable risk factors of dementia among middle-aged people, meaning it is something that can be managed or treated. Other modifiable risk factors include depression and social isolation, but hearing loss was present in nearly twice as many people with dementia compared to depression and isolation.


It can be difficult differentiating the causes or impacts of mental health and hearing issues. Depression and social isolation are among the impacts of hearing loss on mental health, and they can also be the result of hearing loss.


Social isolation and depression both lead to a lack of interaction with others, which in turn leads to a lack of auditory stimulation in the parts of the brain responsible for hearing and comprehension. Though the evidence is not conclusive, it is thought that this stagnation can lead to an actual shrinking of the brain matter in these parts, leading to an increased risk of developing dementia.


It is important to remember that your ears are just the mechanisms that are used for hearing and that it is actually your brain that does the heavy lifting by deciphering the signals it receives. Your hearing health and mental health are essentially joined at the hip.


The sooner you manage and treat hearing issues, the sooner you can receive appropriate auditory stimulation – which contributes to the health of your brain and hearing system.


The cocktail party problem

When you’re at a gathering with many different conversations going on around you, do you have a hard time discerning what is being said?


People living with dementia tend to have greater difficulty following speech in loud environments. A study out of Oxford University found this is not only a symptom of dementia, but also a risk factor for it.


The study was conducted with more than 80,000 participants, and it found that those that experienced difficulty understanding speech in noisy places were anywhere between 61 and 91 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease in their lifetime. This evidence serves as a further indication of the need to act early on treating hearing loss issues.


We understand this information about the connections between hearing loss and dementia isn’t uplifting. But there are many treatments available for hearing loss, so you can reduce your risks of dementia.


How to manage hearing loss

The majority of the causes of dementia are unfortunately factors that cannot be changed or modified, such as a person’s genetic makeup. This is not the case when it comes to hearing-related risk factors.


Though it is still not known if hearing-related treatment can help decrease the effects of dementia on those who already suffer from it, there is no doubt it can certainly improve their living conditions.


As hearing loss is seen as the number one mitigatable risk factor for dementia, it is believed that if all instances were treated effectively, 1 in 10 cases of dementia in the world could be eliminated.


This is a wild statistic that, if true, just points more to the need to act early on treating hearing loss, rather than letting it grow and worsen. We know the consequences of doing nothing, so it’s time to act!


Get your hearing tested

It’s easier than ever to act on improving your hearing health. You can start by booking an appointment at Professional Audiology. Our hearing tests involve various assessments, including:


  • Audiometric evaluation: This test can determine the type, severity and often the cause of hearing loss.
  • Pure-tone air and bone conduction testing: By measuring the quietest sounds you can hear at both low and high frequencies, these tests help determine the type of hearing loss you might have.
  • Speech testing: By evaluating the lowest volume, you recognize speech as meaningful sound. These tests can tell us which volumes you can comfortably understand speech sounds.
  • Additional tests: Tympanometry and otoscopy tests will be conducted as well to determine your middle ear and ear canal health.

 

Your hearing health is tied to more than just your ears. It also plays a role in your mental and physical well-being – so make sure to take care of it!

How often should I get my hearing tested?

18 Apr, 2023
It’s routine for people to schedule medical checkups, like an annual physical, vision test or dental exam. But regular hearing tests are much less commonplace. Despite the integral role hearing plays in our daily lives, we just don’t tend to pay it as much mind. Your hearing is far from static, which is why we urge everyone—both young and old, known hearing loss or not—to get a hearing test and ensure you’re properly caring for all your senses. What happens during a hearing test? Hearing evaluations may be in-depth, but they are nothing to be nervous about. We won’t be poking and prodding you. Professional Audiology goes beyond the basic tests to better ensure our clients receive the thorough care they deserve. Here’s an in-depth overview of what happens during a hearing test. Hearing Screening A quick pass/fail test of your ability to hear different tones in each ear. It will indicate if you have hearing loss but will not go into any detail about the type or levels of degradation. If you fail a hearing screening, you should definitely get a full hearing test. Hearing Test Sometimes referred to as a hearing evaluation, these tests go in-depth into analyzing and diagnosing your hearing ability, your understanding of speech and assessing your outer, middle and inner ears. Components of a full hearing evaluation Your hearing is a two-part process, involving the physical action of hearing as well as the processing of the sound information once received by your brain. It’s crucially important to test based on both these factors to ensure you receive the proper care. There are a number of different tests that will be performed during your hearing evaluation. These include: Air conduction Otoscopy Bone conduction Tympanometry Word recognition Loudness discomfort levels None of these tests are invasive, and when combined, they offer our clients the fullest possible picture of their current hearing, and help highlight the best path to better hearing health. When should I get my hearing tested? There are many good reasons to receive a hearing test, and far fewer reasons not to. If you or someone you know has hearing loss, regular hearing tests are crucial to tell whether your loss is changing or degrading. If you’ve been receiving treatment for hearing loss, hearing tests will be able to gauge if that treatment has been successful in providing help and hopefully stemming the tide of further damage. If you work in a loud environment or frequent loud spaces like concerts, then regular hearing tests can be very helpful in guarding against further damage. Occupational hearing loss is unfortunately very common. If you ever notice a pervasive ringing in your ears, it is definitely in your best interest to receive a hearing test. Tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss, and while it can’t be treated the same way, a hearing test can certainly help you better understand your condition. If you’ve never received a hearing test before, it can be very helpful for future visits to have a baseline to compare to, so in the future it will be easier to determine if any loss has occurred. If for any reason, you or a loved one is questioning whether they may be suffering from hearing loss, then a comprehensive hearing evaluation can either quell those concerns or help lead you to the next step in determining how to tackle and prevent any further hearing loss. 

How hearing loops help when you’re out and about

18 Apr, 2023
There are plenty of situations in your day-to-day life that require a level of active listening. For anyone with hearing challenges, this can create a barrier that makes going about your regular business quite difficult. One solution for dealing with this is hearing loops, a very helpful technology that can make a huge difference for folks who are hard of hearing. What are hearing loops? A hearing loop is a unique sound system that is used to transmit sound directly to a user’s hearing aid or cochlear implant. Made up of a physical loop of cable that is placed around a designated area, a hearing loop transmits sound by generating a magnetic field in the area which delivers a signal to properly equipped hearing aids. When hooked up to a microphone, a hearing loop carries a speaker's voice wirelessly to listeners hearing aids and is best implemented in environments like church halls, theatre rooms and public spaces like banks, information centers and similar public-oriented service providers. How do hearing loops work with hearing aids? For a hearing aid to pick up the transmitted sound from a hearing loop, it has to be equipped with a called a telecoil. Also referred to as a T-coil, this technology is made up of a small coil of wire wrapped around a rod that acts as an antenna to pick up the sound being delivered by a hearing loop. All cochlear implants have telecoils equipped, and nearly 80% of hearing aids either have a telecoil included or are capable of using one. It’s important to ask that a telecoil be included with your new hearing aids, as it is such a helpful tool to be used when you’re out and about. How do I use a hearing loop? This is arguably the best part of hearing loop systems, as cochlear implants and T-coil-equipped hearing aids automatically pick up the signal, meaning you don’t have to do anything to enjoy the benefits of crystal-clear communication. Say you walk into a bank with a hearing loop system. Rather than having to struggle to hear what the teller is saying behind their glass partition, you’ll be able to hear their voice clearly and succinctly without so much as pushing a button. Even better is going to a packed local play and not having to strain to hear the actors, as their voices are being transmitted directly into your ears. Hearing loops provide a level of access that hearing aids alone can’t even offer. More and more locations around the world are adding hearing loops to their services, providing those who are hard of hearing the chance to go about their days with an increased level of normality. Where can I find hearing loops in Edmonton? There are multiple locations around Edmonton that provide the added hearing assistance of a hearing loop. The popular Citadel Theatre in downtown Edmonton has hearing loops installed in two of its performance areas, allowing everyone to enjoy their shows the way they were meant to be. Most of the HSBC banks in the city are equipped with hearing loops, and all of Edmonton’s public libraries offer hearing loops at their front counters. You can go to Hearing Loops Canada For a more detailed list of hearing loop locations as well as plenty of other useful hearing loop resources. If you’re interested in the benefits of hearing loops, your first step should be to book a hearing test . Professional Audiology can help you find the right devices that will not only take advantage of the benefits of hearing loops but also greatly help improve your ability to hear. Take that first step and see how hearing aids can help you take back control of your hearing health.

Tips for hearing better when dining out

18 Apr, 2023
There’s no question that dining out can be a stressful experience for anyone suffering from hearing loss. With diners chatting away, cutlery clanging and music playing at an uncomfortably loud level, even folks with healthy hearing may have a hard time communicating with their table mates. These debilitating decibels can make it an easy choice to stay in and miss out on socializing, which can quickly take a toll on your overall mental well-being. Here are some straightforward tips and tricks that can help those who are hard of hearing have an enjoyable experience when heading out for a bite. Take the Time to Plan Ahead If you are the one planning the restaurant outing, then all the power is in your hands. Make sure to use it! When these tips are combined, they’re sure to increase the enjoyment level of your culinary excursion. Research quiet restaurants People love to make lists and categorize essentially everything online. If you live in an urban area, there’s a very good chance that someone has taken the time to discern which restaurants won’t blow out your eardrums. Choose your seating carefully If you’re planning early, you should be able to pick your seat. Sitting right in the middle of a crowded dining area, with noisy neighbours in all directions, is sure to cause you some distress. Specifically, ask for a high-backed booth or a corner seat where you’ll have a wall to your back. This is sure to cut out a lot of the clamour. Timing is everything As you are the master and commander of your outing, you have a lot more sway in picking the time for everyone to gather and chow down. While brunch is certainly trendy, it won’t be hearing-friendly. Neither will the middle of the dinner rush be. Pick a time after the lunch rush, before the dinner rush, or even have a slightly later dinner. That way, after you’ve devoured your food, the restaurant will be nice and quiet, allowing you and your guests plenty of time to comfortably sip your wine and chat the night away. When Not in Charge of Planning, Advocate for Yourself This can admittedly be quite a tricky one. Nobody wants to inconvenience their friends or loved ones with a perceived huge ask for accommodation. It’s uncomfortable, and odds are your brain will tell you you’re asking too much and being a real pain. We’re here to tell you, you’re not asking too much. Your hearing issue is a real physical and measurable issue. Your mates will more than likely be happy to help you have an enjoyable dining experience. If not, then we’re sorry your friends suck. Bottom line: as hard as it can be, advocating for yourself is more than acceptable. Take Advantage of Tech to Improve Your Dining Experience Thank goodness for the ever-evolving world of technology, as there are products, devices and apps out there that can help you get the most out of your social forays. One such option is the ability to live transcribe the conversations at your table using your smartphone. There are multiple free apps, including a Google Android app that allow you to actively read what is being said by those dining with you. While the technology isn’t perfect, and you may get some comedically hilarious translation hiccups, context will probably help you through those bugs. Hearing aids are life changers for those who are hard of hearing Of course, the tried-and-true method to help you hear your surroundings with clarity and accuracy is hearing aids. Gone are the bulky and awkward hearing aids that stick out like a sore thumb. In are the sleek and discreet hearing aids with advanced technology like directional microphones that will help you focus the conversation. Hearing aids really can make a hugely beneficial impact on your life. You don’t have to continue suffering on your own, struggling from one conversation to another. While not a 100% cure to all your hearing issues, they are by far the best and most effective option to get you back out socializing and enjoying your life the way you used to. You can start your road to hearing recovery by booking a hearing test with Professional Audiology. Our trained and knowledgeable audiologists will help you find the hearing aid solution that works best for your specific needs. Take that first step and see how hearing aids can help you take back control of your hearing health.
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