When it comes to hearing loss, it can be tough to decide when to see a hearing care professional. Do you go as soon as you notice missing words or misunderstanding or should you wait until it really affects your daily life? Findings from a study conducted by the Department of Speech Language and Hearing Science at University of Colorado suggest that hearing loss, even in its early stages, affects the brain. The Study was led by Anu Sharma who concluded that age related hearing loss needs to be taken seriously and treated as early as possible: "The hearing areas of the brain shrink in age-related hearing loss… Centers of the brain that are typically used for higher-level decision-making are then activated in just hearing sounds. Given that even small degrees of hearing loss can cause secondary changes in the brain, hearing screenings for adults and intervention in the form of hearing aids should be considered much earlier to protect against reorganization of the brain." Read more about this study at Science Daily - https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150519104604.htm
The bottom line is that adults with mild age-related hearing loss, who don’t seek early treatment, experience a reorganization of the brain that can lead to cognitive decline. Early signs of hearing loss should be taken seriously and early treatment can keep the hearing portion of the brain active with continued sound wave stimulation.
CaptionCall is an ambassador for hearing health and an advocate for people with hearing loss. We encourage everyone to actively manage their hearing health through regular hearing evaluations and to seek early treatment when hearing loss is identified. We are obsessed with helping those with hearing loss stay socially engaged for a longer, happier, healthier life. To learn more about CaptionCall and how you can qualify for a no-cost CaptionCall phone, visit www.captioncall.com.
