Forgot Something Important? Memory Loss is Linked to This

Senior couple suffering from hearing loss standing in front of a pink backdrop trying to remember something.

Feel like you may be forgetting something crucial? You aren’t imagining it. It really is getting more difficult to remember things in everyday life. Loss of memory seems to progress rather quickly once it’s noticed. The more aware you are of it, the more debilitating it becomes. Did you know memory loss is linked to hearing loss?

If you think that this is simply a natural part of the aging process, you would be wrong. Losing the ability to process memories always has a root cause.

Disregarded hearing loss is often that reason. Is your hearing impacting your ability to remember? By identifying the cause of your memory loss, you can take measures to delay its progression substantially and, in many instances, bring back your memory.

Here are a few facts to think about.

How untreated hearing loss can lead to memory loss

They’re not unrelated. As a matter of fact, scientists have found that individuals with neglected hearing loss are 24% more likely to experience dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other extreme cognitive problems.
The reasons for this increased risk are multi-fold.

Mental exhaustion

At first, hearing loss causes the brain to over-work. You have to strain to listen to something. Now, your brain needs to work hard where in the past it just occurred naturally.

It becomes necessary to utilize deductive reasoning. You attempt to determine what people most likely said by eliminating unlikely choices.

This puts a lot of added stress on the brain. And when you’re unable to accurately use those deductive reasoning abilities it can be particularly stressful. The outcome of this can be misunderstandings, embarrassment, and sometimes even bitterness.

Stress has a major effect on how we process memory. When we’re stressed out, we’re spending brain resources that we should be utilizing for memory.

As the hearing loss worsens, something new takes place.

Feeling older

You can start to “feel older” than you are when you’re constantly asking people to repeat what they said and straining to hear. This can start a downhill spiral in which ideas of “getting old” when you’re actually not become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Social isolation

We’ve all heard the trope of someone who’s so lonely that they begin to lose touch with reality. Human beings are meant to be social. When they’re never with others, even introverts have a hard time.

Neglected hearing loss slowly isolates a person. It’s more difficult to have phone conversations. Social get-togethers are not so enjoyable because you have to ask people to repeat what they said. Friends and family begin to exclude you from conversations. Even when you’re in a setting with a lot of people, you might zone 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 frequent lack of mental stimulation makes it harder for the brain to process new information.

Brain atrophy

As a person with neglected hearing loss begins to seclude themselves either physically or even mentally, a chain reaction starts in the brain. There’s no more stimulation going to parts of the brain. When this takes place, those regions of the brain atrophy and quit functioning.

Our brain functions are extremely coordinated. Hearing is connected with speech, memory, learning, problem-solving, and other skills.

This lack of function in one area of the brain can gradually move to other brain functions like hearing. Loss of memory is connected to this process.

It’s similar to how the legs become atrophied when someone is bedridden for an extended period of time. When they’re sick in bed for a long time, leg muscles get really weak. They could possibly just quit working completely. They may have to get physical therapy to learn to walk again.

But with the brain, this damage is a great deal more difficult to rehabilitate. The brain actually starts to shrink. Brain Scans demonstrate this shrinkage.

How a hearing aid can prevent memory loss

You’re likely still in the early stages of hearing loss if you’re reading this. It might be hardly noticeable. The good news is that it’s not the hearing loss that leads to memory loss.

It’s the fact that the hearing loss is untreated.

In these studies, individuals who were using their hearing aids regularly were no more likely to have memory loss than somebody of a similar age who has healthy hearing. Those who started using hearing aids after symptoms began were able to slow the progression considerably.

As you get older, try to stay connected and active. Keep your memories, memory loss is linked to hearing loss. Be mindful of the health of your hearing. Have your hearing examined. And if there’s any reason you’re not wearing your hearing aid, please consult us about treatment options – we can help!

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.