In my article on hearing loss facts, I discuss how hearing loss is linked to other (age-related) problems. The link between hearing loss and dementia recently made the news, but there’s a recent study that researched the link between balance and hearing loss.
This link isn’t completely new. Different studies had already found a link between hearing loss and worse balance control, but this new research was a meta study. This means that they looked at 51 different studies and trials to combine all the knowledge.
What they found was that people with hearing loss had worse balance control than people with normal hearing and that hearing aids can make up the difference.
In other words, if you’re worried about (your loved ones) falling and you’ve got some type of hearing loss, hearing aids might lessen your risk of falling. Of course it’s only one of the steps you should take in an effort to prevent falls, but an important step nonetheless.
How Hearing Loss Affects Balance Control
It turns out that hearing plays an important role in our balance. To find and keep our balance, we use different senses. We’ll look at our environment, rely on our internal balance, and use sound cues as well. For the hearing impaired, those sound cues disappear, which has a significant effect on balance control.
This is even true for people who are otherwise in good shape. People with hearing loss who played sports (a good way to keep your balance) still had a worse balance than people without hearing loss who didn’t play sports. This shows the importance of hearing aids for your balance.
Helping You Find Hearing Aids
If you’re wondering where to start looking for hearing aids, you’ve come to the right place. My website focuses on over the counter hearing aids for less than $1,000. I’ve made an overview of the best hearing aids in 2023, or you can find an overview of different reviews on my 30-second review page.
Sources: Hamed Zarei, Ali Asghar Norasteh, Lauren J Lieberman, Michael W. Ertel, Ali Brian; Balance Control in Individuals with Hearing Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Audiol Neurotol 2023; https://doi.org/10.1159/000531428
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