Research consistently links hearing loss with a higher risk of dementia, and recent 2026 studies suggest that treating hearing loss, including with hearing aids, may lower that risk. The link is real but modest, and hearing loss is one of many factors involved rather than a guaranteed cause.

Dementia is a subject that understandably worries a lot of people, particularly as they get older or watch a parent’s memory change. Over the past few years, hearing loss has been highlighted as one of the biggest modifiable risk factors, meaning one of the few things within our control. This article sets out what the research actually shows, without overstating the findings, and what it means in practical terms.

This is general information, not medical advice. If you have concerns about your own or a family member’s memory, speak to a GP.

What the Lancet Commission actually found

The Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention and care has published three major reports, in 2017, 2020 and most recently 2024, each identifying hearing loss from midlife onwards as a significant modifiable risk factor for dementia. This finding has been widely reported, often with hearing loss described as the “largest” modifiable risk factor.

That description is accurate but easy to misread. The 2024 report’s population attributable fraction, the proportion of dementia cases across the whole population that could theoretically be avoided if hearing loss were eliminated entirely, was updated to 7 percent, down from 8 and 9 percent in the earlier reports. In other words, around 93 percent of dementia risk is explained by age, genetics and other factors, with hearing loss making up a modest, though still meaningful, share of the remainder.

This matters because a population level statistic is not the same as personal risk. Having hearing loss does not mean dementia is likely. It means the risk is measurably higher on average, which is a different thing.

What large studies show about hearing loss and dementia risk

One of the largest studies on this topic followed over 573,000 people for an average of nearly nine years. It found that having hearing loss was associated with a 7 percent higher relative risk of developing dementia compared with having no hearing loss. Severe hearing loss carried a higher relative risk, around 13 to 20 percent depending on which ear was affected.

These are relative risk figures, not a prediction for any individual. They show a consistent pattern across a very large population, which is why researchers take the association seriously, but they are not a diagnosis or a certainty.

Can treating hearing loss reduce that risk?

This is where the research becomes more interesting, and slightly more complicated.

A study published in Neurology in early 2026, using long-term data from the ASPREE trial, followed adults aged 70 and over with moderate hearing loss for seven years. Those prescribed a hearing aid had an estimated 5 percent risk of developing dementia over that period, compared with 7.5 percent for those without a prescription, a relative risk reduction of around a third. The effect appeared to be dose-dependent: people who used their hearing aid often or always had a lower estimated risk than those who used it rarely, who in turn had a lower estimated risk than those who never used one.

Interestingly, the same study found no meaningful difference in cognitive test scores between the groups over the same period. The researchers, led by Lachlan Cribb at Monash University, were open about this being a puzzling result, and stressed that the study could show an association but could not prove that hearing aids directly caused the lower dementia risk. Other explanations, including underlying differences between people who choose to use hearing aids consistently and those who do not, cannot be ruled out.

A separate pooled analysis published in 2026, combining data from over 61,000 people across seven long-term studies in different countries, found a similar pattern. Hearing aid users had a 9 percent lower risk of probable dementia than non-users overall, and this benefit was stronger, around 14 percent lower risk, among those who reported that their hearing aid genuinely improved their hearing. Among those who reported poor improvement from their device, there was no measurable benefit at all.

This detail is worth pausing on. It suggests that simply owning a hearing aid is not what matters. What matters is whether it is actually improving your hearing day to day, which points back to the importance of a proper fitting and ongoing adjustment rather than the device alone.

What the earlier randomised trial found

The ACHIEVE trial, a large US randomised controlled trial reported in 2023, is one of the few studies to directly test hearing aids against a control group rather than relying on observational data. Across the whole study population, it found no significant overall benefit for cognitive decline over three years. However, within a specific subgroup of participants who already had a higher baseline risk of cognitive decline, the hearing intervention slowed cognitive decline by around 48 percent compared with the control group.

This is an important nuance. It suggests that treating hearing loss may matter most for people who are already at elevated risk, rather than producing a uniform benefit for everyone.

What this means in practical terms

Taken together, the research supports a reasonably cautious conclusion. Hearing loss is associated with a higher risk of dementia, the association is consistent across very large studies, and there is growing, though not yet conclusive, evidence that treating hearing loss may reduce that risk, particularly for people already at higher risk and where the treatment genuinely restores hearing. Researchers have described addressing hearing loss as a low-risk, low-cost step that may be worth taking regardless of the remaining uncertainty, simply because there is little downside and a plausible upside.

What this does not mean is that hearing loss causes dementia in any individual case, or that a hearing aid guarantees protection. The honest position, and the one most researchers in this field take, is that treating hearing loss appears to be a sensible precaution rather than a proven cure.

Where earwax fits into this picture

Not every case of reduced hearing is permanent hearing loss. Earwax buildup is one of the most common and most reversible causes of muffled or reduced hearing, and it is often overlooked, particularly in older adults who may assume any change in hearing is age related and untreatable. Ruling this out first, with a straightforward wax check, is a simple and low-risk step before any conversation about hearing aids or further investigation is needed.

Book a hearing and wax check with Waxy Clear to find out whether earwax is affecting your hearing.

Frequently asked questions

Does hearing loss cause dementia? The research shows an association, not proof of direct cause. Hearing loss is considered a modifiable risk factor, meaning it is linked to higher average risk, but most dementia risk is explained by age, genetics and other factors.

Will wearing a hearing aid definitely lower my dementia risk? Not definitely, but the most recent research, including a 2026 study using ASPREE trial data and a separate pooled analysis of over 61,000 people, found lower dementia risk among consistent hearing aid users, particularly where the device genuinely improved hearing.

Is this the same as the earlier ACHIEVE trial results? The ACHIEVE trial, reported in 2023, found no significant overall benefit for cognitive decline across the whole study group, but did find a substantial benefit within a subgroup already at higher risk. The 2026 findings add to this picture rather than replacing it.

Should I get my hearing checked if I am worried about dementia risk? A hearing check is a reasonable, low-risk step, particularly since some hearing difficulty is caused by treatable issues such as earwax buildup rather than permanent hearing loss.

Who should I speak to about memory or dementia concerns? Speak to a GP. Hearing checks and wax removal can rule out or address a hearing-related contributor, but memory concerns should always be assessed by a medical professional.