{"id":2065,"date":"2022-02-24T19:09:22","date_gmt":"2022-02-25T00:09:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hearingsc.com\/?p=2065"},"modified":"2022-02-24T19:09:22","modified_gmt":"2022-02-25T00:09:22","slug":"can-hearing-aids-help-with-balance-issues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hearingsc.com\/can-hearing-aids-help-with-balance-issues\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Hearing Aids Help with Balance Issues?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your ears don\u2019t just allow you to hear; they actually help you balance when hiking on the Audubon Swamp Garden at Magnolia<\/a>, too. Because the hearing and balance systems both are housed in the inner ear, it\u2019s common for people to experience both hearing and balance problems simultaneously. Fortunately, hearing aids<\/a> have been shown to improve both.<\/p>\n

How We Hear<\/h2>\n

\"Focused<\/h2>\n

Soundwaves from your environment are captured by the outer ear and travel down the ear canal, which leads to the eardrum. When the soundwave hits the eardrum, a vibration is created, which passes through three tiny bones within the middle ear called the malleus, incus and stapes. This vibration reaches the fluid-filled cochlea in the inner ear, which causes the fluid to move. This movement activates the tiny hair cells that line the cochlea called stereocilia, creating an electrical impulse. This electrical impulse travels via the auditory nerve to the brain where it is interpreted as sound.<\/p>\n

How We Balance<\/h2>\n

In addition to the cochlea, the inner ear also contains the labyrinth, which is a maze of bone and tissue that holds the semicircular canals. The semicircular canals are also filled with fluid that reacts to movement, activating tiny hair cells. Each set detects a different type of movement: one detects up\/down movement; one detects side-to-side movement; and one senses tilting movement.<\/p>\n

What the Research Shows<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s not just the semicircular canals that help you keep your balance; you actually also use sound signals to orient you in space, according to research out of the Washington University School of Medicine<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n

The study involved 14 participants ages 65 to 91. The researchers used standard balance tests to measure each participants\u2019 postural balance both with their hearing aids switched off and switched on. Across the board, the participants balanced much better when their hearing aids<\/a> were on.<\/p>\n

Senior author Timothy E. Hullar, professor of otolaryngology, explained, \u201cThe participants appeared to be using the sound information coming through their hearing aids as auditory reference points or landmarks to help maintain balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis study suggests that opening your ears also gives you information about balance,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n

The authors note that, though the trial was small, the results are statistically significant.<\/p>\n

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call The Hearing & Balance Center<\/span> today.<\/p>\n