When you’re a youngster, falling is simply a part of life. Taking a tumble on your bicycle? That’s normal. Stumbling over your own feet while you’re running outside? Also pretty typical. It isn’t really a concern because, well, kids are kind of limber. They rebound quite easily.
The same cannot be said as you get older. The older you get, the more concerning a fall can be. To some extent, that’s because your bones tend to break more easily (and heal more slowly). Older individuals tend to spend more time on the floor in pain because they have a harder time getting back up. Falling is the leading injury-associated cause of death as a result.
That’s why tools and devices that can reduce falls are always being sought after by healthcare professionals. Hearing aids may be just such a device according to research.
Can falls be caused by hearing loss
In order to figure out why hearing aids can help prevent falls, it helps to ask a related question: is it feasible that hearing loss can raise your risk of having a fall? In some cases, it seems that the answer is a strong yes.
So you have to ask yourself, why would the danger of falling be increased by hearing loss?
That connection isn’t really that intuitive. Hearing loss doesn’t really, after all, impact your ability to see or move. But this sort of direct impact on your mobility, and an increased danger of falling, can be a result of some hearing loss symptoms. Some of those symptoms include:
- Loss of balance: How is your balance impacted by hearing loss? Well, your overall balance depends greatly on your inner ear. So when hearing loss impacts your inner ear, you may find yourself a bit more likely to get dizzy, experience vertigo, or have trouble maintaining your balance. As a result of this, you may fall down more often.
- You’re unable to hear high-frequency sounds: When you go into an arena, you know how even if your eyes are closed, you can tell you’re in a huge space? Or how you can immediately tell that you’re in a small space when you get into a vehicle. Your ears are actually utilizing something similar to “echolocation” and high-frequency sound to help your spatial awareness. You will lose the ability to quickly make those assessments when hearing loss causes you to lose those high-frequency tones. This can result in disorientation and loss of situational awareness.
- Depression: Social solitude and possibly even mental decline can be the consequence of neglected hearing loss. When you’re socially separated, you may be more likely to stay at home, where tripping hazards are everywhere, and be less likely to have help nearby.
- Exhaustion: Your brain is working overtime and you’re always straining when you have neglected hearing loss. This means your brain is exhausted more often than not. An attentive brain will identify and steer clear of obstacles, which will reduce the likelihood of having a fall.
- You have less situational awareness: You may not be able to hear the sound of your neighbor’s footsteps, the dog barking next door, or an oncoming vehicle when you have neglected hearing loss. Your situational awareness might be substantially affected, in other words. Can loss of hearing make you clumsy like this? Well, in a way yes, daily activities can become more dangerous if your situational awareness is compromised. And your risk of stumbling into something and falling will be slightly higher.
Age is also a consideration when it comes to hearing loss-associated falls. As you get older, you’re more likely to experience irreversible and progressive hearing loss. At the same time, you’re more likely to take a tumble. Consequently, when you get older, falls are more likely to have severe consequences.
How can hearing aids help minimize falls?
If hearing loss is part of the problem, it makes sense that hearing aids would be part of the remedy. And new research has confirmed that. One recent study discovered that using hearing aids could cut your risk of a fall in half.
The link between remaining on your feet and hearing loss wasn’t always this obvious. In part, that’s because not everyone uses their hearing aids all of the time. As a consequence, falls among “hearing aid users” were often inconclusive. This wasn’t because the hearing aids weren’t working, it was because individuals weren’t wearing them.
The approach of this research was conducted differently and maybe more precisely. People who wore their hearing aids now and then were separated from people who wore them all of the time.
So why does wearing your hearing aids help you avoid falls? They keep you less exhausted, more concentrated, and generally more alert. The added situational awareness also helped. In addition, many hearing aids have safety features designed to trigger in the case of a fall. Help will arrive faster this way.
But the trick here is to be sure you’re wearing your hearing aids often and regularly.
Prevent falls with new hearing aids
Hearing aids can help you catch up with your friends, enjoy quality moments with your family members, and stay connected to everyone who’s important in your life.
They can also help you remain on your feet, literally!
If you want to find out more about how hearing aids could help you, schedule an appointment with us today.
