Many researchers believe that treating hearing loss with hearing aids could help reduce the risk of falls. In fact, one small study suggests that wearing hearing aids could help improve balance because we use sound information to help us with stability. We review more about this study below.
About the Study
The study, entitled “The effect of hearing aids on postural stability,” was published in the journal The Laryngoscope in March of 2015. The purpose of the study was to uncover whether the sense of hearing contributes to balance, and to determine if use of hearing aids has any impact on the ability to balance.
Methodology
The researchers enrolled 14 participants between the ages of 65 and 91. They conducted standard balance tests to measure the participants’ postural balance. These tests were performed when the hearing aids were worn in both ears and turned on, and repeated with the devices switched off.
For one of the tests, participants stood on a thick foam pad with their eyes covered. In another test, they stood with one foot in front of the other in a heel-to-toe position, again with their eyes covered. The researchers measured how long the participants could stand in these positions without moving their arms or feet.
Results
During the foam pad test, the average duration of stability with the devices switched off was 17 seconds, compared to 26 seconds when the devices were on. For the heel-to-toe test, the average was 5 seconds with devices off and 10 seconds with devices on.
Despite the small sample size of the study, these results are statistically significant.
Limitations
One limitation of the study was that the participants knew whether their devices were off or on, which could influence the results. However, the researchers tried to offset this by randomizing when the devices were off and on; there was no fixed pattern.
Another limitation is the small size. Senior study author Timothy E. Hullar, Professor of Otolaryngology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, hopes to repeat this study on a larger scale once they receive the funding to do so.
Study Significance
This study is significant because it is the first of its kind to demonstrate that sound information can be used to help you balance.
“The participants appeared to be using the sound information coming through their hearing aids as auditory reference points or landmarks to help maintain balance,” Professor Hullar explained. For more information about how hearing aids can help you better maintain your balance when doing yoga at Sandy Bottom Nature Park or to schedule an appointment, call Hampton Roads ENT today.