Quick Summary
Most people assume hearing loss is only an ears problem, but the brain is what actually does the work of hearing. A recent viral video from neurosurgeon Dr. Betsy Grunch, known online as “Lady Spine Doc,” is helping more people understand just how closely hearing and brain health are connected.
This month, we break down what she said, what the research shows, and why addressing hearing loss early is one of the most important things you can do for your brain.
- Why you technically hear with your brain, not your ears
- What the Lancet Dementia Commission discovered about hearing loss and dementia risk
- Why untreated hearing loss increases something called cognitive load
- How unused auditory pathways in the brain can shrink over time
- Why modern hearing aids work like physical therapy for the brain
- Why most people wait years too long before treating their hearing loss
Why a Viral Brain Surgeon Wants You to Check Your Hearing
Dr. Betsy Grunch is a wildly popular neurosurgeon known on social media as “Lady Spine Doc.” She’s known for breaking down things like spine surgery, back pain, and complex neurological topics in a way people can easily understand. Recently, she posted a video that stopped us in our tracks. This time, she wasn’t talking about the spine; she was talking about ears.
As your local audiologists at Shoreline Hearing Center here in Muskegon, Michigan, we couldn’t be happier to see a neurosurgeon with her massive reach talking about hearing loss and brain health. This connection is one of the most important, and most misunderstood, topics in healthcare.
The Ear-Brain Connection
Most people think hearing just happens in the ears. But audiologists have been saying for decades: you don’t hear with your ears, you hear with your brain. The ears are simply there to collect sound. The brain is the computer that decodes that sound, separates out background noise, and helps you make sense of the world.
In the video, Dr. Grunch explains that when the brain isn’t getting clear sound signals, it has to work much harder to fill in the gaps. Major medical organizations agree with her. The Lancet Dementia Commission, one of the most respected research groups in the world, recently identified untreated hearing loss in mid-life as the number one potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia, meaning it’s a risk factor you actually have the power to change.
Think about it this way: you can’t change your age, and you can’t change your genetics, but you can change hearing loss. And it’s worth doing. Researchers estimate that eliminating mid-life hearing loss could potentially prevent or delay up to 7% of dementia cases globally. That’s millions of people who could maintain their cognitive health longer just by addressing hearing loss early.
The “Cognitive Load” Problem
So why does untreated hearing loss increase dementia risk? It comes down to cognitive load, the amount of mental effort your brain uses to understand speech.
When you can’t hear well, your brain has to:
- Guess to fill in missing words
- Decode muffled or distorted sounds
- Work overtime to follow conversations
This constant mental effort pulls energy away from other critical brain functions like memory, comprehension, and focus. Over time, the brain becomes exhausted. Not only that, but when the brain stops receiving clear sound signals, the auditory pathways can start to shrink. This is called atrophy, and it’s similar to what happens when a muscle isn’t used. The longer hearing loss goes untreated, the harder it is for the brain to bounce back.
Hearing Aids Are Physical Therapy for Your Brain
Many people still want to avoid hearing aids. But modern hearing aids are nothing like the bulky devices of the past. They’re small, smart, and designed to support brain health, almost like physical therapy for your brain.
At Shoreline Hearing Center, the biggest mistake we see is patients waiting 7 to 10 years before seeking help for their hearing loss. They tell themselves their hearing “isn’t that bad yet,” or they worry about the stigma of hearing aids.
But when it comes to the brain, early intervention is everything. The longer hearing loss goes untreated, the more strain the brain experiences, and the harder it becomes to recover those damaged pathways. We promise you will not regret taking this step.
Your ears matter. Your brain matters even more.
Ready to Protect Your Hearing and Your Brain?
Hearing loss isn’t just about missing words here and there. It’s about giving your brain the clear, consistent signal it needs to stay sharp for years to come. If you or a loved one are struggling to follow conversations, especially in noisy environments, let’s chat.
Call us at 231-755-0552 or book your appointment online with our team today for a comprehensive hearing and brain health evaluation!
FAQs About Hearing Loss and Brain Health
Is hearing loss really connected to dementia risk?
Yes. The Lancet Dementia Commission identified untreated hearing loss in mid-life as the number one potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia. Researchers estimate that eliminating mid-life hearing loss could prevent or delay up to 7% of dementia cases worldwide.
Why does hearing loss make the brain work harder?
When the ears don’t deliver clear sound, the brain has to guess at missing words, decode distorted sounds, and work overtime to follow conversations. This added mental effort is called cognitive load, and it pulls energy away from memory, comprehension, and focus.
Can untreated hearing loss actually change the brain?
Yes. When the brain isn’t receiving clear sound signals, the auditory pathways it uses to process speech can begin to shrink, similar to how a muscle weakens from disuse. The longer hearing loss goes untreated, the harder those pathways are to recover.
Do modern hearing aids help with brain health, not just hearing?
Yes. By restoring clear sound signals, modern hearing aids reduce the cognitive load on the brain and help keep auditory pathways active, functioning much like physical therapy for the brain.