Hearing Loss Impact - Untreated hearing loss can lead to significant listening effort, causing exhaustion and potentially shrinking a person's world [4][5][6] - Hearing loss, particularly high-frequency hearing loss, is often unrecognized, affecting one in three people aged 65-74 and half of those over 75 [7][8] - Untreated hearing loss is associated with increased dementia risk, with a study attributing 32% of dementia cases to it [9] - Brain atrophy, specifically shrinkage in the auditory cortex and areas related to memory and speech, is observed in MRI scans of individuals with untreated hearing loss [10] - Individuals with hearing loss are 57% more likely to experience loneliness, which can negatively impact the immune system, increase inflammation, and shorten life expectancy [10] Hearing Loss Treatment - Hearing aid use can cut the risk of cognitive impairment in half for people with high dementia risk scores [11] - Early intervention and advocacy are crucial, as many individuals with hearing loss may not recognize the problem themselves [14][15]