study3 found that participants had better balance
when their hearing aids were turned on vs off. Research
Dr. Timothy Hullar’s hunch is that hearing
aids made people more alert and helped them ‘use
sound information as auditory reference points or
landmarks to help maintain balance.’ Not only that,
but using hearing aids also relives cognitive load,
reducing the risk of falling.
Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury in
older adults. There are many things you can do to
reduce your risk of falling, including getting treatment
for hearing loss. Think you may have hearing
loss? Contact Amplifon Hearing Health Care today
at 877-806-7054.
Sources: 1National Council on Aging - https://d2mkcg26uvg1cz.
cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/
Falls-Prevention-Fact-Sheet-2018.pdf; 2Johns Hop-
hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/
hearing_loss_linked_to_three_fold_risk_of_falling;
3Washington University https://source.wustl.
edu/2014/12/hearing-aids-may-improve-balance/
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One-fourth of Americans age 65+ will fall every
year1. If you have hearing loss, your risk for falling
greatly increases. In a study2 conducted at Johns
assessed hearing and balance in seniors and found
that those with even mild hearing loss were three
times more likely to suffer from an accidental fall.
Balance Your inner ear is a key player when it
comes to balance. It provides signals to your brain
that control your spatial reasoning, range of motion,
and equilibrium – all vital functions for balance. If
there is an issue with your inner ear, those balance
functions may not work as they should, putting you
at an increased risk of falling.
Cognitive Load Untreated hearing loss puts added
strain on your brain to decipher sound signals.
This is commonly referred to as ‘cognitive load.’ If
your brain is using more energy to try to hear, ‘there
may be fewer cognitive resources to help maintain
balance,’ says Dr. Lin.
Can hearing aids reduce my risk of falling?
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