New study suggests hearing aids appear to improve the balance in older adults with hearing loss and may decrease fall risk.
According to a study published in an October 2014 online issue of The Laryngoscope, hearing aids appear to improve the balance in older adults with hearing loss. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that patients with hearing aids in both ears performed better on standard balance tests when their hearing aids were turned on versus when they were off and that can help decrease the risk of falls.
The study showed that sound information–separate from the balance system of the inner ear–contributes to maintaining the body’s stability. The study lends support to the supposition that improved hearing through hearing aids or cochlear implants may help reduce the risk of falls in older people.”We don’t think it’s just that wearing hearing aids makes the person more alert,” said senior author Timothy E. Hullar, MD, professor of otolaryngology. ‘The participants appeared to be using the sound information coming through their hearing aids as auditory reference points or landmarks to help maintain balance. It’s a bit like using your eyes to tell where you are in space. If we turn out the lights, people sway a little bit more than they would if they could see. This study suggests that opening your ears also gives you information about balance.”
In one test, study volunteers’ eyes were covered as they stood with their feet together on a thick foam pad. In a second test, study volunteers stood on the floor with one foot in front of the other, heel to toe, also with no visual cues for balance. Patients were timed to see how long they could stand in these positions without moving their arms or feet, or requiring the aid of another person to help them maintain balance. Study participants performed the balance tests both with and without their hearing aids turned on.
Several of the participants could maintain stability on the foam pad for a minimum of 30 seconds, whether or not their hearing aids were turned on. But those having more difficulty with balance performed better when their hearing aids were on. The findings give additional weight as to why those who have hearing aids should wear them on a consistent basis, especially older people who are at higher risk for falls.