Hearing loss is a common problem that is faced by older adults in America. Not only is our auditory system affected by hearing loss, but damaged hearing can also adversely affect our sense of balance. This is why it is a good idea for older adults to get hearing aids to deal with hearing loss in order to avoid the risk of sustaining injuries due to falling.
It may seem odd to think that hearing aids can help you stay upright. In reality, our entire sense of equilibrium resides in our ears, which contain a fluid. Disruption in this fluid due to hearing loss can result in loss of balance.
Getting hearing aids can help rectify your hearing problems by helping you remain more alert and use environmental sound cues to make sense of where you are. This can help you orient yourself better and aid in maintaining proper balance.
Recent research indicates that those wearing hearing aids fare far better in balance tests that those who do not wear hearing aids for their hearing loss. It was found that using hearing aids not only helps you hear better, it also enhances your sense of stability in maintaining your stance, even in the presence of background noise.
Those who wore hearing aids but had them switched off for the purposes of the study showed deteriorations in their sense of balance as opposed to the times they had their hearing aids in working condition. This suggests that proper use of hearing aids can help improve your sense of equilibrium.
Hearing loss already poses a number of health risks and psychological setbacks. It is best to keep unnecessary injuries at bay by taking good care of our ears and investing in a nice pair of hearing aids to effectively deal with our hearing loss.