Your Hearing System and its link to Balance and Falls

Statistics on Falls and Balance 
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Those aged 65 and older are more prone to falling. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that annually, one in four adults fall every year. One in five of these falls end with a serious injury, for example a head injury or broken bones. In the U.S., death rates due to falls have gone up by 30 percent between 2007 and 2016.

Of course, any issues with walking and balance are big risk factors. It has been reported that 80 percent of Americans who are 65 and older have had some balance problems like dizziness and vertigo. For example vestibular (inner ear) dysfunction is a leading cause. Approximately 35% of American adults who are at least 40-years-old have had an experience with vestibular dysfunctions. 

You Hearing System and its Link to Falls

The audiometric section of your ear may also be a contributing risk factor to falls and balance. According to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the University's Bloomberg School of Public Health, individuals who have at least 25 dB of hearing loss are three times more likely to report a fall. For every 10 dB increase in hearing loss, there is a 1.4 chance of falling.

According to researchers, cognitive decline has been a result of hearing loss. Some changes may include a lack of coordination, struggles with accomplishing daily routines, a higher risk of falls and other injuries.

What You can do to Help Prevent Falls

The most common forms of falling prevention include medication, surgery, therapy, or using a hearing aid. 

There are so many advancements in hearing aid technology that can improve your balance, hearing loss, provide custom speech comprehension, and help with your overall hearing health. These devices can be adjusted by a hearing instrument specialist, connect to your smartphone, TV, and doorbells. It’s been reported by the F.D.A. that only one-fifth of those who need hearing aids actually look into getting them.

Starkey’s Livio AI hearing aids have a new feature that utilizes built-in 3D sensors that can recognize when a wearer falls and alert selected family or friends. 
   
If you, or a loved one, have had falling or balance problems in the past, contact us at Pure Sound Hearing Aids to talk to a hearing instrument specialist about the Livio AI, or other hearing aid options.

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