Hearing Loss and Incident Dementia

Question: Discuss about the Hearing Loss and Incident Dementia. Answer: Introduction: This kind of disability results into abrupt or gradual decrease in an individuals ability to hear. Hearing impairment can be classified as moderate, profound and severe. It can also be categorized as conductive and sensorineural (Lin et.al, 2011). Where the conductive hearing loss comes as a result of the effect to the outer and the middle ear while sensorineural is as a result of the damage to various sensory organs in the inner ear. Conditions resulting to hearing impairment Hearing impairment can be as a result of several factors ranging from changes in the auditory nerve system of the ear, physical changes to failure of the brain to process sound leading inability to hear (Lin et.al, 2011). The blockage of the ear canal by ear wax build up or purse from damaged parts of the middle ear such as the skin of the ear canal. Also, effect from other diseases such as arthritis affecting the ear bones. Further, the presence of a whole in the ear drum also results into hearing loss. Moreover, the exposure to too much noise and ototoxicity courses the hearing loss. Another condition is old age which results into various changes within the structures of the ear more significantly the cochlea. Challenges of hearing loss to old people Hearing loss among the aged individuals has got a lot challenges to the group as follows. One of the challenge is that they experience difficulty following doctors medications prescriptions. The other challenge is that adults with hearing impairment are vulnerable to accidents as they have difficulty responding to warning. They also have challenges of inability to talk to family and friends thus most of the time isolated from their families and ending relationships with friends (Lin et.al, 2011). Reference Lin, F. R., Ferrucci, L., Metter, E. J., An, Y., Zonderman, A. B., Resnick, S. M. (2011). Hearing loss and cognition in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Neuropsychology, 25(6), 763. Lin, F. R., Metter, E. J., OBrien, R. J., Resnick, S. M., Zonderman, A. B., Ferrucci, L. (2011). Hearing loss and incident dementia. Archives of neurology, 68(2), 214-220.