UNTREATED HEARING LOSS
You are losing more than just your hearing.
A
the challenges
that people with
Alzheimer’s and
their caregivers
already face, but
in many cases the
appropriate use of
hearing aids can
benefit people
Dr. Nicole Schott,
with Alzheimer’s.”
Board Certified Doctor
Untreated hearing
of Audiology - Your
Audiologist in Allison Park
loss can decrease
and North Hills
the cognitive
processing in spoken language and sound.
BHI also states that research has shown that
the use of hearing aids has helped reduce
the symptoms of depression, passivity,
negativism, disorientation, anxiety, social
isolation, feelings of helplessness, loss of
independence and general cognitive decline
in people with known cognitive deficits.
As a Doctor of Audiology, I find that
a patient’s loved ones typically become
frustrated by hearing loss long before the
actual patient acknowledges that he or she
is experiencing
any loss. As we
age, hearing
loss gradually
declines, which
allows many
adults to ignore
their hearing loss
for years. If you
UNTREATED
hearing loss
with UNTREATED hearing loss
with UNTREATED with
hearing
loss
or a loved one
notice a decrease
in memory
2x
3x
5x
2x
3x
5x
2x
3x
5x
or
cognitive
Normal
hearing
Mild hearing
Moderate
hearing
Severe hearing loss
Normal hearing
Mild hearing loss
Moderate
Normal
hearing
hearing
loss
Severe
Mild
hearing
hearing
loss
loss
Moderate
hearing loss
loss
Severe
hearing
loss loss
ability, have your
hearing checked.
Schedule an
Long-term
study shows
untreated
Long-term study shows untreated
Long-term
hearing loss
study
can
shows untreated
hearing
loss can hearing loss can
appointment
contribute
to early and
onset
dementia
and cognitive decline.
contribute to early onset dementia
contribute
and cognitive
to early
decline.
onset dementia
cognitive
decline.
today with Swift
ADDRESS
HEARING
ADDRESS HEARING LOSS NOW,
ADDRESS HEARING
LOSS
NOW, LOSS NOW, Audiology for a
comprehensive
call Swift
Audiology
to schedule a complimentary
call Swift Audiology to schedule
call Swift
a complimentary
Audiology
to schedule
a complimentary
hearing evaluation
hearing
evaluation
with
our Doctor of Audiology.
hearing evaluation with our hearing
Doctor of
evaluation
Audiology.
with
our Doctor
of Audiology.
to check for
(412) 532-4387
487-9883
(412) 532-4387
(412) 532-4387
hearing loss; the
outcome may help
more than just
PARK WASHINGTON
NORTH HILLS
HILLS ALLISON
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WILLIAM
FLINN
FRANKLIN
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your
hearing.
ging is inevitable, growing up is
optional, and staying cognitively
sharp is mandatory. At a certain age,
people begin to become bombarded with
mail and fliers for hearing exams and hearing
devices. But why? Why is it so important for
a person to keep his/her ears healthy? It is
not so much keeping the ears and hearing
healthy as it is keeping the brain functioning.
Many people do not realize the true link
between our hearing and cognitive function.
My patients are surprised when I go into
detail about hearing with our brain and not
our ears. They often crack a joke, “So that’s
what’s wrong with me?” or look at me so
intently like they want to know more. Well,
the truth is: our ability to hear comes from
our ears; our ability to understand and
process sounds comes from our brain.
Multiple studies have been and continue
to be conducted showing a link between
untreated hearing loss and cognitive decline
(i.e. dementia/Alzheimer’s). Our ears are
responsible for collecting the sound, and
our nerve of hearing sends the sound to our
brain. The brain is responsible for processing
the sound and interpreting the message. If
damage occurs to the nerve of hearing, the
sound is not fully processed and the message
is not interpreted as intended. With hearing
loss, as it worsens and remains untreated,
the brain is deprived of normal auditory
messages and forgets how to understand
speech properly — much like muscles
atrophy when a person stops using them.
A study conducted at Johns Hopkins
Institute found that people with hearing loss
are more likely to develop dementia and/or
cognitive deficits than those who retain their
hearing as they age. It also states that hearing
loss can lead to isolation of people socially.
Many researchers believe that auditory
deprivation and social isolation with
untreated hearing loss can put that individual
more at risk for deterioration of the brain,
leading to a lower cognitive function.
Sergei Kochkin of the Better Hearing
Institute (BHI) in Washington, D.C.,
has stated, “When hearing loss is left
unaddressed, it can significantly compound
IT’S THAT
YOUR
THAT HEARS
IT’S YOUR
HEARS
THAT HEARS
BRAIN
BRAIN
BRAIN
not your ears.
not your ears.
not your ears.
Risk of dementia
Risk of dementia Risk of dementia
HIGHWAY
Visit us online! SwiftAudiology.com
HIGHWAY
HIGHWAY
Source: increased
Lin et al. (2011).
Compared 1.89
with normal hearing, increased risk of dementia: 1.89
Source: Lin
Lin et
et al.
al. (2011).
(2011). Compared
Compared with
with normal
normal hearing,
hearing,
increased
risk of
of dementia:
dementia:
1.89
Source:
risk
for mild
3.00
for moderate
for mild
mild hearing
hearing loss,
loss, 3.00
3.00 for
for moderate
moderate hearing
hearing loss,
loss,
and hearing
4.94 for
for loss,
severe
hearing
loss. hearing loss, and 4.94 for severe hearing loss.
for
and
4.94
severe
hearing
loss.
Source: Lin et al. (2011). Compared with normal hearing, increased risk of dementia: 1.89
for mild hearing loss, 3.00 for moderate hearing loss, and 4.94 for severe hearing loss.
UR
INDUSTRY INSIGHT
us online! SwiftAudiology.com
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