November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

November is when most people start thinking seriously about the holidays. Many people make it a point to get together with old friends and family members to catch up and stay in touch. With a flurry of emails, texts, and phone calls to set things up, there will be a lot of communication in the month ahead.

Here at Orange County Physicians’ Hearing Services, we would also like to draw attention to another important thing in November: it is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan designated November as the month to raise awareness around this devastating disease.  With a link to untreated hearing loss, we hope you take some time to consider your hearing health this month.

Alzheimer’s Disease: Not a part of normal aging

Alzheimer’s disease is a condition that affects the part of the brain that controls memory, speech, thought processing and problem solving. Dementia is the most common form of Alzheimer’s. Some view Alzheimer’s as a common part of aging, but it is not. Not everyone who ages develops Alzheimer’s disease, and being a little forgetful doesn’t mean you have Alzheimer’s.

Early indicators of Alzheimer’s are more serious than just forgetting where the TV remote is. Rather, with Alzheimer’s disease, one may stand in front of the TV with the remote and having no idea what it is or how to operate it. Other signs include: getting lost in familiar places, trouble handling money and paying bills, repeating the same questions over and over in a short span of time, taking longer to complete everyday mundane chores, displaying poor judgement, losing things or placing them in odd places, confusion over time and events, and altered mood and personality.

Hearing loss and dementia

More than 48 million Americans experience hearing loss and studies have found that a large number of people who may benefit from the use of hearing aids do not use them. Even more, many people wait an average of seven years before seeking treatment for their changing hearing abilities. Meanwhile, anecdotal evidence and professional studies have linked the onset of dementia with untreated hearing loss.

Auditory issues affect the brain and researchers believe that untreated hearing loss changes the way the brain works – taxing certain areas and not using others – which increases the risk for dementia. The brain is like a muscle: if you don’t use it, it could weaken. Trying to process sounds and conversation with hearing loss leads to changes in what doctors describe as “cognitive load.” As you struggle to process sounds, watch someone’s lips when they speak, try to decipher the bits and pieces that you hear and respond appropriately, you stress different parts of the brain that may be used for other processes. Untreated hearing loss could pull resources from other parts of the brain that are responsible for problem solving or creating memories. Brain imaging performed on seniors with untreated hearing loss shows evidence of areas that are not being activated in the brain.

Isolation, hearing loss, and dementia

Social interaction, utilizing your brain outside the home for driving, shopping, hiking, and keeping up with your favorite activities are all great for your brain’s health and for keeping your faculties sharp. With untreated hearing loss, studies have pointed to increased instances of social isolation, as people may struggle with communication. People with untreated hearing loss may begin with withdraw from social activities. Many people make accommodations for their changing hearing abilities: it may feel easier to stay home rather than trying to decipher a conversation at a restaurant or trying to understand what a clerk is saying to you at a store.

Untreated hearing loss creates a sort of domino effect on your life, and it may be happening so slowly and gradually that you do not notice it. In other words, untreated hearing loss leads to social isolation, which could lead to the onset of dementia.

Don’t put off a hearing test

The good news: the use of hearing aids can bring significant benefits to your life. Studies in the United States and Europe show that seniors with hearing loss and cognitive issues benefit from the prescription of hearing aids. Think about it: when you have issues with vision, you get a vision test and a prescription for glasses. It is equally as important to seek treatment for your sense of hearing!

Seniors with even moderate hearing loss have reported a better quality of life with the use of hearing aids. Experience life, your friends, the things you’ve missed, and the upcoming holidays to the fullest by getting a hearing test. Give yourself a present this holiday season and schedule a consultation with us Orange County Physicians Hearing Services! Call for an appointment today.