Your health can be significantly affected by falling down and as you age, this is especially true. That’s why more thoroughly understanding the possible causes of falls is so essential. This type of awareness can help you avoid situations where you’re more likely to trip and sustain an injury. Researchers have learned, for instance, that improving strength and flexibility can significantly help in minimizing the probability of a fall.
But it’s not the only factor that needs to be considered. It probably won’t come as a surprise, then, that there is a link between hearing loss and an increased risk of falling. Individuals with even slight hearing loss are three times more likely to have a tumble than individuals whose hearing is normal, according to a study done by researchers at The Johns Hopkins University.
The study also revealed that the risk of a fall increased in direct relation to the degree of the hearing loss. Understanding how hearing and balance interact can help providers and individuals alike better handle fall risks. Quality of life can be considerably improved by this. Seniors will be able to remain in their homes longer, face fewer broken bones, and experience fewer fall-associated emergencies.
Can balance problems result from hearing loss?
Many individuals are used to thinking of balance as something that begins in your feet. Although having good footwork can be helpful, your ears are where your sense of balance actually begins.
Actually, it’s particularly your inner ear where balance starts. There is a portion of the inner ear called the labyrinth. The labyrinth is comprised of two essential parts:
- The cochlea: A spiral-shaped cavity that conveys sound to your brain.
- The vestibular system: This is a complex series of tubes that transmits balance information to your brain.
As the fluid circulates in the vestibular system, your brain uses the information to determine orientation. That’s what gives you a sense of equilibrium.
When these signals from your ear are disrupted or distorted, a feeling of dizziness or vertigo can result. Hearing loss occurs for a wide variety of reasons, and in many instances, the same underlying causes can impact the balance signals sent from your vestibular system to your brain.
Loss of balance and its specific causes
Researchers have attempted to collect more information on what kinds of hearing loss cause balance issues. There are some conditions which affect both hearing and balance. Some of those causes include the following conditions:
- Meniere’s Disease: The symptoms of this inner ear condition include dizziness and periods of hearing loss. This chronic condition normally gets worse over time.
- Labrynthitis: This is an infection of the inner ear, specifically of the labyrinth. The ear will lose its ability to hear and create equilibrium when the labyrinth becomes inflamed. Medications, including steroids, are usually the course of treatment. Once the swelling goes down, the symptoms will usually go away.
Clearly, there are other causes of balance issues that aren’t related to hearing loss. For instance, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is known to trigger dizziness and vertigo but generally doesn’t lead to hearing loss or ear fullness.
If you had a balance disorder, what would the symptoms look like?
Balance disorders don’t always have an impact on your ability to hear. Dizziness and vertigo are the most prevalent symptoms of balance disorders. This may occasionally be accompanied by nausea. People might also experience vision issues or a sense of “floating”.
If you experience any of these symptoms, speak with your provider about possible treatment strategies.
How does hearing loss increase the risk of falling?
That hearing and balance are closely linked isn’t in dispute. But, scientists are not always clear on why. The connection between hearing loss and falls, for instance, doesn’t make clear the causes behind that relationship.
Here are some possible connections between hearing loss and the risk of taking a tumble:
- Cognitive drain and fatigue: People with hearing loss often note a substantial increase in fatigue. This is mostly because hearing loss forces your brain to work harder to hear. This takes a significant amount of cognitive energy, resulting in fatigue. Falls are more likely with this fatigue and mental drain.
- Isolation: Hearing loss has long been associated with an increase in social withdrawal. If you fall, you may not have people around you who can help you get back up or call for help. This can significantly increase your risk of serious injury in the case of a fall.
- Diminished situational awareness: Your ears help orient you to what’s going on in three-dimensional space. There might be a tripping danger right around the corner, such as a family pet, that you may not notice if you have neglected hearing loss.
Solutions for balance, hearing loss, and reducing falls
How can you deal with balance issues? For most people, the first step will be trying to determine the underlying cause of your balance condition. In some situations, steroids or antibiotics might be helpful. Other medications may help with nausea and associated vomiting. It’s also important, in some cases, to get any hearing loss treated as well.
When it comes to reducing fall risk more broadly, a more generalized approach may be worthwhile. Here are a few examples of situations like this:
- Talk to an audiologist: Your hearing health can be managed with our help and we can also fit you with hearing aids. If you’re at risk of a fall as a result of hearing loss, this will help ensure that risk is as low as possible.
- Talk to a physical therapist: In many cases, physical and occupational therapists can help rejuvenate your visual, mental, and balance systems. This can help you maintain your balance and avoid falls.
Get the healthcare help you need
Falls can cause significant damage as you get older. Your risk of falling can be significantly increased by hearing loss, balance issues, or a combination of the two. Prevention becomes so essential for this reason. Avoiding a fall can give you more time in your home, more time with your family, and more happiness and comfort in your everyday life. We can help you with vertigo, dizziness, and balance issues so call for an appointment right away.