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In the HABIT program, we often "hear" the excuse that someone doesn't have a memory problem, they just have a hearing problem. For that reason, we've always advocated that our patients have their hearing evaluated and hearing corrected if hearing impairment is discovered. Typically, once hearing is corrected as much as possible, our patients (and their partners) come to understand that the reason they didn't remember something really isn't just a hearing issue--it is memory issue or Mild Cognitive Impairment.
Recently, Mayo Clinic News Network highlighted the additional importance for correcting hearing impairment: using hearing aids can actually slow cognitive decline in older adults with hearing loss!
Take a look at that news announcement here, and then go get your hearing aid fitting scheduled!
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I recently watched a you tube video of a English doctor that said they were different types of tinnitus. If there is no hearing loss, it could be stress related. I have tinnitus 24/7 . Definitely stress related as it sometimes gets weaker and other times louder.
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2 ReactionsI think you are correct about hearing loss being related to cognitive decline. Seeing an ENT is on my list, but need to address physical disability w/back first. Can’t seem to address more than one issue at a time.
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2 Reactions@anne23anna I encourage you to have your hearing checked by an audiologist as soon as possible. The appearance of cognitive issues related to hearing loss is often the result of poor hearing rather than cognitive decline. People with hearing loss, in most instances can 'hear', but have difficulty 'understanding' speech. That can easily lead to responding out of context in a conversation. It is embarrassing to be told what you said was totally 'off the wall'. When that becomes a person's reality, it is easy for them to stop doing things they've always enjoyed.
It is typical for a hard of hearing person to need up to 5 seconds to respond to a simple question, especially one that is not expected since the brain has to consider the options for response in that question. 5 seconds feels like 5 minutes to the person who is waiting for an answer. This is frustrating for both parties.
Psychologically, when this happens frequently, the person with HL often pulls away from socializing in settings where there is background noise like other conversations in the same area. Social isolation can lead to depression. Everything can go down hill. The fact that hearing loss comes with a whole set of stigmas often keeps people from using hearing aids.
Most of the current research on this issue suggests that cognitive decline may occur when the hearing loss goes untreated.
Do you know that the National Institutes of Health estimates that nearly 50 million people in the USA have some degree of hearing loss?