Study: Hearing Loss Increases Risk of Falling?

New research from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine shows that people with hearing loss have an increased risk of falling. After examining over 2000 adults aged 40-69, Drs. Frank Lin and Luigi Ferrucci concluded the following:

...people with a 25-decibel hearing loss, classified as mild, were nearly three times more likely to have a history of falling. Every additional 10 decibels of hearing loss increased the chances of falling by 1.4-fold. This finding still held true even when other factors linked with falling, including age, sex, race, cardiovascular disease and vestibular function were accounted for.
 

Commenting on these findings, Dr. Lin states:

Gait and balance are things most people take for granted, but they are actually very cognitively demanding. If hearing loss imposes a cognitive load, there may be fewer cognitive resources to help with maintaining balance and gait.
 

There are various theories as to why there is a link between falling and hearing loss. Researchers theorize that people with hearing loss become less aware of their overall environment and therefore more susceptible to falling. Another potential explanation is that the hearing loss causes undue stress on the brain leading to its inability to properly monitor the surrounding environment. In any case, researchers hope to find ways to prevent injuries caused by falls linked to hearing loss.

For the source of this information and more details on the research findings, click here.

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