Hearing loss? Get it sorted, or face worse problems soon

What's the news: Using a hearing aid cuts your risk of dementia by a third.

Why should we believe it? This news comes from a big new study, published in January 2023, funded by the National Institute on Aging, and based on 2,400 individuals across the U.S.

Why this is a big deal: The numbers are huge, and impressive. On the one hand, according to this study, hearing loss increases risk of dementia by 61%. It's not clear how or why hearing loss is tied to such a drastically higher risk of dementia.

What is is clear that those who used a hearing aid had a 32% lower rate of dementia than those who did not.

So what can you do now: Two-thirds of Americans over age 70 suffer from hearing loss. If you're getting near that age — or if you can't hear me well as I type this — it's time to get your hearing tested.

And if you have hearing loss: Get a hearing aid. It will improve your quality of life — and might save you from dementia. Besides, it's become entirely socially acceptable now that everyone else walks around with various gadgets in their ears.