According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 4 older adults report falling each year—that’s over 14 million people. Unfortunately, the likelihood of falls increases as we get older, and one common contributor may surprise you—untreated hearing loss.

Yes, you read that correctly: Studies prove that untreated hearing loss can increase the risk of falls by 30%. And the more severe our hearing loss is, the more our chances of falling increase.

So, what exactly is the connection between hearing loss and the loss of balance, anyway?

If you have hearing loss, your brain must work a lot harder to help you hear and decipher conversation, leaving “less cognitive resources available” to assist as you navigate through different environments, according to lead UCHealth researcher and audiologist Laura Campos.

In other words, untreated hearing loss can make us much less aware of our surroundings, resulting in tripping, falling, or worse.

Good news—hearing aids can reduce odds of falling

Let’s hear it for silver linings: Wearing hearing aids can reduce our risk of falling by 50%, per a recent study led by Campos and published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The study focused on individuals with hearing loss aged 60 and older. Researchers compared the prevalence of falls and fall risk between hearing aid wearers and non-hearing aid wearers. The same factors were also evaluated between a separate group of consistent hearing aid wearers (who used the devices at least 4 hours per day) and inconsistent/non-hearing aid wearers.

Compared to non-hearing aid wearers, participants who wore hearing aids had a 50% decreased likelihood of falling. Moreover, the people who wore hearing aids a minimum of 4 hours a day had up to 65% lower odds of experiencing a fall.

These results go to show that treating hearing loss through hearing aids not only can improve our hearing—but also our safety. Find out what noises you may be missing! Schedule an appointment today for a hearing consultation.