Understanding Hearing Loss
Hearing loss—or hearing impairment—is a reduction in your ability to hear. It can happen gradually or relatively quickly. At Beltone, we want to help you understand hearing loss and find the right solution.
Why Hearing Loss Increases the Risk of Falling
What’s behind this increased risk of falling? According to the study cited above, there are several possible reasons for a connection between hearing loss and falls. These include:
Dysfunction of the inner ear.
Problems inside the inner ear that interfere with the ability to hear may also affect the part of the inner ear that’s responsible for balance. To put it simply, a combination of inner ear fluid and specialized cells detect the motion of your head, pressure changes and gravity and send those signals to the brain, which then balances out the rest of your body in response.
The most common reason that hearing loss and balance are connected is that the damage that causes the hearing loss is not isolated to the hearing parts of your ear. In other words, if you physically damage your cochlea, the other parts of your ear may take some of that damage, too.
Reduced environmental awareness.
Losing the ability to hear may deprive us of important auditory cues, making us less aware of our surroundings and therefore more prone to falls.
An “overloaded” brain.
When you are experiencing hearing loss, your brain must work overtime to make sense of the sounds around you. Constantly straining to hear can deplete the “attentional resources” needed for maintaining posture and balance.
How Can Hearing Aids Help?
If you or a loved one have fallen unexpectedly and experienced an injury, it’s important to consult with a medical professional to determine the exact reason for your accident and what you can do to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Hearing aids are not a safeguard against falls, but they can be helpful for alleviating the symptoms of hearing loss and helping you live your best and most fulfilling life. By design, hearing aids help your ear capture and process more sounds, and that increase in sounds that your ears can process gives your body more sensory “landmarks” to reference in maintaining your natural equilibrium, helping you stay better balanced.
Today’s hearing aids are available in a range of styles to suit a variety of lifestyles, ages and types of hearing loss. Click the link below to book a free appointment with a Beltone hearing care professional and begin your journey to better hearing.
More About Untreated Hearing Loss
Dementia
Multiple major studies have found a connection between hearing loss and an increased risk for dementia. Consider the findings of a 12-year study by researchers at Johns Hopkins¹:
- Mild hearing loss doubled an adult’s risk of dementia
- Moderate hearing loss tripled the risk
- Severe hearing impairment made adults five times more likely to develop dementia
Depression
The connection between depression and hearing loss should come as no surprise. When a formerly gregarious person is no longer able to socialize or participate in beloved activities, the mental toll can be significant and lasting. Learn how to recognize the signs of depression and how you can act in defense of your mental health.
Social Isolation
Untreated hearing loss can put a strain on many aspects of your personal life. Everything from casual interactions with strangers to your closest relationships with friends and family are likely to be affected by your inability to understand speech or distinguish between the mix of sounds in your environment.
