Risk Factors
- Smoking: Current smokers have a 70 percent higher risk of having hearing loss than nonsmokers.
- Heart Health: People with low-frequency hearing loss are considered at risk for cardiovascular events.
- Hypertension: There is a significant association between high blood pressure and untreated hearing loss. Hypertension can be an accelerating factor of hearing loss in older adults.
- Diabetes: Hearing loss is twice as common in people with diabetes as their peers without.
- Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis can adversely affect the three tiny bones in the middle ear, which can lead to hearing loss.
Memory & Hearing Loss
- Adults 50 years and older with untreated hearing loss are more likely to develop problems thinking and remembering than adults with normal hearing.
- Adults 75 years and older with untreated hearing loss experience a 30 to 40 percent faster decline in cognitive abilities compared to peers without hearing loss.
Dementia & Hearing Loss
- Seniors with untreated hearing loss are significantly more likely to develop dementia over time than those who retain their hearing.
- Adults with mild hearing loss are 2 times more likely to develop dementia.
- Adults with moderate hearing loss are 3 times more likely to develop dementia.
- Adults with severe hearing loss are 5 times more likely to develop dementia.
Mental Health & Hearing Loss
- Adults 50 years and older with untreated hearing loss were found to be less likely to participate in organized social activities than peers who wore hearing aids.
- Adults 50 and older with untreated hearing loss are more likely to report depression, anxiety and paranoia than peers who wore hearing aids.
Alzheimer’s & Hearing Loss
The symptoms of untreated hearing loss and Alzheimer’s are nearly identical.
- Withdrawal from work or social activates
- Impaired memory
- The inability to learn new tasks
- Reduced alertness
- Compromised personal safety such as falling
- Irritability, anger, fatigue, stress and depression
The Hearing Center of Ohio is a proud sponsor of Coach Earle & Jean Bruce’s Athletes Against Alzheimer’s
Help us spread the word about Alzheimer’s and Untreated Hearing Loss and the importance of early detection!