Research shows that people with hearing loss are more likely to experience a fall than peers with normal hearing. It all ties back to the health of the vestibular system.
One study from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the National Institute on Aging found that people ages 40 to 69 with mild hearing loss have triple the risk of a dangerous fall. Researchers think there are two reasons for this: one is that people who can’t hear well may not have good environmental awareness; the other is that hearing loss may overwhelm cognitive resources, leaving less brainpower to help maintain balance.
A study from the University of Michigan found that 13% of seniors with newly diagnosed hearing loss but who were otherwise healthy had an injury within the previous three years, compared to just 7.5% of the general population in the same age range. Fortunately, the same study also found that the use of hearing aids can delay a diagnosis of a dangerous fall, in addition to dementia, depression and anxiety.
Vestibular problems greatly affect people’s quality of life.
- 90 million Americans visit their health care provider for vertigo, dizziness or balance problems.
- 33% of adults with chronic imbalance have problems performing basic living tasks.
- 2/3 of children with acquired hearing loss have vestibular deficits.
Our experienced hearing care providers are here to help you stay on top of your hearing and balance health by offering state-of-the-art diagnostic services, cutting-edge hearing technology and vestibular testing.
1 Lin, F. R., & Ferrucci, L. (2013). Hearing loss and falls among older adults in the United States. Archives of Internal Medicine 172(4), 369-371.
2 Mahmoudi, E., et al. (2019). Can hearing aids delay time to diagnosis of dementia, depression, or falls in older adults? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 67(11), 2362-2369.
3 Paparella, M. M. (2008). Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo and other Vestibular Symptoms in Ménière Disease. Ear, Nose & Throat Journal, 87(10), 562–562. https://doi.org/10.1177/014556130808701006
4 VEDA. (2013). Balance Awareness Week to Defeat Dizziness: Facts, Figures & Trivia. https://vestibular.org/sites/default/files/page_files/BAW%2013%20Vestibular%20Facts_0.pdf
5 National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (1995). National strategic plan: Balance and balance disorders (NIH Pub. No. 96-3217). Bethesda, MD