AROUND 12million people in the UK are affected by hearing loss.
It can have a significant impact on every aspect of a sufferer's life – from their ability to socialise to perform simple daily tasks.
But a partial or complete incapacity to hear sounds is also a major risk factor for developing dementia.
Studies have shown links between hearing loss and cognitive decline, including a higher chance of the brain-robbing disease.
Research by John Hopkins Medicine found that mild hearing loss doubled a person's dementia risk, while moderate loss tripled it and severe impairment increased it five-fold.
Another study, published in The Lancet in 2020, identified hearing loss as one of 12 key changeable risk factors for dementia.
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Doctors put it down to:
- Social isolation (reduced engagement in social activities and loneliness are known risk factors)
- Cognitive load (hearing loss requires more mental effort to understand speech and follow conversations)
- Brain changes (some research suggests neuroanatomical alterations happen, linked to cognitive impairment)
Thankfully, experts say hearing loss is a modifiable dementia risk factor – meaning it can be reduced.
Former NHS CEO and hearing expert Amanda Philpott, co-founder of training app eargym, said: "Hearing loss is a big and growing problem: 12m people in the UK are affected by it yet most of us don't test or train our hearing regularly.
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"The World Health Organization estimates that in addition to the 430m adults globally already experiencing a disabling level of hearing loss, around 1.1billion more young people are at risk of noise-induced hearing loss, meaning pretty much all of us could do with protecting our hearing health a little bit more.
"Hearing loss can have a significant impact on a person's quality of life, affecting their ability to communicate, socialise, and perform daily tasks.
"Early intervention can often improve outcomes and help prevent further deterioration of hearing."
So what can we do to take better care of our hearing and potentially reduce our risk of Alzheimer's – the most common type of dementia?
Getting tested
It’s important for adults of all ages to have their hearing regularly tested, Philpott said.
It’s easy to book a hearing test with a high street audiologist, or use an app to check yourself using your phone.
"You can’t take steps to improve and protect your hearing if you don’t understand your hearing health first," Philpott said.
"We should all be testing our hearing regularly, just like we test eyesight and blood pressure."
Hearing training
Whilst the ear itself cannot be directly improved, the brain can learn and respond to specific auditory stimuli.
The sensorineural aspects of our hearing (i.e. the parts of the ear that take in sound) can only be improved by physical intervention, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants.
But our hearing isn't just sensorineural – it's also about how we process sound and apply meaning to it.
The right hearing training exercises – designed to help you practice skills like locating where sounds are coming from, understanding speech in noisy places and remembering and telling different sounds apart – can work with the brain to help you gain the most from what you hear, improving listening skills and speech comprehension.
"Regular practice for just a few minutes a day can help you get the most out of hearing training," Philpott said.
Protect yourself
"It’s crucial to protect your ears from loud noises," the hearing expert said.
"Use earplugs or ear defenders when exposed to loud environments, such as concerts or construction sites, and don’t listen to loud music in headphones in already-noisy environments for prolonged periods of time."
Seek help if required
If hearing loss is detected and is severe enough to require intervention, take advantage of the support available to you, Philpott urged.
"Hearing aids, cochlear implants and assistive listening devices can be incredibly powerful," she added.
"There’s a huge amount of stigma against wearing hearing aids in the UK, which we need to overcome if we’re to adequately look after our hearing and cognitive health."
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
Finally, the former NHS CEO advised Brits to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
"Staying regularly engaged in social activity, seeking cognitive stimulation and taking care of our cardiovascular health can play a role in reducing the risk of both hearing loss and the associated cognitive decline," she said.
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About 944,000 Brits are currently living with dementia, but experts predict this will exceed one million by 2030.
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of the condition, and is thought to be caused by build-ups of proteins in the brain, including tau and amyloid.
What is dementia?
DEMENTIA is a group of related symptoms associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning.
There are many different causes, and several different types.
Alzheimer's is a form of dementia and, together with vascular dementia, makes up the majority of cases.
The most common symptoms of dementia include problems with:
- Memory loss
- Thinking speed
- Mental sharpness
- Language
- Understanding
- Judgement
- Mood
- Movement
- Doing activities
Sufferers may also find social situations challenging, lose interest in relationships and experience hallucinations.
Diagnosis helps people find the right treatment and support.
Source: NHS
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