Hearing loss is one of the most common health conditions we can experience as we age. What many don’t realize is that hearing health is also strongly connected to brain health.
Here are five things Valley audiologist Michelle Arbini, AUD wants you to know:
1. Hearing Loss Is More Common Than You Think
Hearing loss affects millions, and the likelihood increases with age. Many start experiencing hearing changes in their 50s and 60s without realizing it. Because hearing loss usually develops slowly, people may assume the setting or background noise is to blame, but these changes can be signs that your hearing needs evaluation.
Symptoms can include:
- Hearing less sound than usual, or differently.
- Ex. Trouble hearing a bird chirping or phone ringing but still able to hear a truck rumbling
- Difficulty hearing with background noise.
- Ex. Having a hard time hearing someone while in a busy restaurant
- Hearing ringing, buzzing, hissing, or roaring in one or both ears.
2. Untreated Hearing Loss Affects Your Brain and How It Works
When hearing becomes difficult, the brain must learn to adapt. Over time untreated hearing loss can cause physical changes to areas of the brain that typically process sound and speech called atrophy or shrinkage. Left untreated, hearing loss also makes your brain work harder than it needs to, this is called added cognitive load. The extra effort your brain is making to accommodate the hearing loss may take away or distract from other important brain functions like memory, balance, and thinking.
Both brain atrophy and added cognitive load may contribute to developing dementia compared to those with normal hearing. While hearing loss does not directly cause dementia, it is an important and preventable risk factor.
3. Hearing Loss Can Lead to Worse Quality of Life
If conversations become difficult to follow, many people begin to withdraw from social activities. They may avoid restaurants, group conversations, or other settings where listening is hard.
Reduced social interaction has been linked to increased risks of depression, loneliness, and cognitive decline. These are also risk factors for dementia. Leaving hearing loss untreated means continuing to live with communication challenges and it increases the related health risks. It’s important to be proactive and get hearing changes addressed, on average, those with hearing loss wait 10 years before getting help.
4. Having Your Hearing Treated Can Help Protect Your Brain Health
Now for some good news: Studies have shown that individuals who use hearing aids and receive hearing care may experience slower rates of cognitive decline compared to those who leave hearing loss untreated. Hearing treatment improves communication, reduces listening effort, and increases your ability to live a full life. Today’s treatment options like hearing aids and cochlear implants are smaller, more advanced, and more effective than ever before.
5. When You Should Get Your Hearing Checked and How to Take the First Step
Even if you are not ready for treatment, establishing a baseline hearing test is an important step in monitoring your hearing health over time, just like going to your primary care provider for annual wellness visits.
Getting a hearing evaluation with an audiologist is painless and typically takes less than an hour. The test measures how well you hear different sounds and speech and helps determine whether hearing changes are present.
You should get a hearing evaluation if you notice any of the following:
- Your hearing loss gets worse.
- You hear new ringing in your ears.
- You have any other changes in your hearing.
- You feel dizzy.
It is important to call your doctor for advice as soon as you notice any of these symptoms. For some types of hearing loss, the sooner you get treatment, the more likely your hearing is to get better.
Hearing loss is common, but it doesn’t have to interfere with your quality of life or your connection with others. If you or a loved one has noticed changes in hearing, difficulty following conversations, or increasing reliance on the television volume, it may be time to schedule a hearing evaluation.
Your hearing and your brain will thank you!
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Valley’s Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic offers both adult and pediatric services including audiology at two convenient locations in Renton and Covington. If you are looking for a new provider or want to schedule an appointment at a clinic that’s new to you, please call the clinic at 425.690.3602. If you are an established patient, you can also easily schedule a new appointment through MyChart.
This article was written with the assistance of ChatGPT-5, an AI language model from OpenAI. GPT-5 was used to generate the initial draft of the article, and it was then reviewed and edited by Michelle Arbini, AUD of Valley’s Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic. Content for this article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
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