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Do Hearing Aids Help With Balance?
Hearing aids generally improve balance because the systems in your inner ear related to hearing and balance are closely connected.
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At a glance:
- The vestibular system (balance center) and the auditory nerve, which carries sound signals to the brain, are located within the inner ear, which is why hearing loss can affect both.
- Conditions such as sensorineural hearing loss, Ménière’s disease, and labyrinthitis can cause hearing loss, dizziness, vertigo, and a staggering gait.
- Hearing aids amplify auditory cues the brain uses to sense spatial orientation, so by restoring auditory reference points, they ease strain on the vestibular system—improving overall balance and stability.
If you’re one of the many seniors struggling with hearing loss, balance issues and a lack of spatial awareness might be familiar with these woes. In fact, because hearing and balance are intrinsically connected, changes to your hearing can have a surprisingly large impact on your day-to-day risk of falls. Below, we’ll discuss the connection between these two bodily systems, so you can determine if new hearing aids are the best solution to a concerning hearing or balance test.
Understanding the Connection Between Hearing & Balance
You probably already know that hearing loss stems from issues in the inner ear. More specifically, the cochlear branch of the auditory nerve transduces sound waves from the outside world into signals the brain can identify and process.
However, you might not realize that the system responsible for postural stability is also located inside the inner ear. This system (the vestibular system) creates a sense of balance by detecting the position of your head as it moves in space. Every tilting movement triggers shifts in ear canal fluid, changes that the system identifies and sends to your brain so it can locate where you are in relation to the world around you.
Unfortunately, sensorineural hearing loss (hearing loss stemming from the inner ear) and other inner-ear conditions have been shown to exacerbate balance issues by disrupting the vestibular system. In fact, those with hearing loss conditions regularly suffer from dizziness, vertigo, and staggered walking.
Hearing Loss & Balance Disorders That Have an Impact
If you’re struggling with hearing loss or balance issues, going in for specific balance or hearing tests can help you identify the problem. Because both systems are linked, we often recommend that you screen yourself for both types of disorders.
Hearing Loss Conditions That Impact Balance
- Sensorineural hearing loss: When the cochlea or auditory nerve is damaged, it can disrupt the way sound signals are processed. The vestibular system shares the same nerve pathway and fluid-filled space, so damage to either can also lead to dizziness. This NIH study, in particular, found that those with sensorineural hearing loss had a more impaired sense of balance than peers with normal hearing.
- Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis): Common in older adults, this condition refers to the gradual decline in inner ear function with age. Nearby vestibular structures often degrade in tandem, increasing the risk of falls and general balance issues in older adults.
- Noise-induced hearing loss: Repeated exposure to loud noises, like those concerts you enjoyed in your youth, can damage the delicate hair cells in the cochlea. These hair cells are structurally similar to those in the vestibular system, which is why loud noise can impact your sense of balance as well.
Balance Disorders That Impact Hearing
- Ménière’s disease: Occurs when fluid builds up in the inner ear, causing an imbalance that affects balance and hearing. Episodes of vertigo are common, along with hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
- Labyrinthitis: Inflammation (usually from an infection) of the labyrinth, an inner ear structure that houses both hearing and balance-related organs. Because both organs sit within the inflamed area, sudden vertigo and hearing loss are common symptoms.
- Vestibular neuritis: Inflammation of the vestibular nerve disrupts balance signals to the brain. This issue primarily impacts balance and causes vestibular migraines, but can also lead to hearing changes.
Do Hearing Aids Affect Balance?
Hearing aids can improve balance by boosting spatial awareness, but they do not cure balance disorders. For example, a study on how hearing aids impacted balance in older adults found that improvements in auditory information processing played a key role in maintaining static balance function and stability. Hearing aids do just that, giving seniors the amplification they need to hear the sounds around them.
In particular, the balance improvements you experience from wearing hearing aids are comparable to those of open versus closed eyes. Closing your eyes makes you feel unsteady and unsure of your surroundings, just as hearing loss does.
Of course, the first step to improving your hearing and balance is to contact your primary care doctor or a professional audiologist. They can run tests that confirm whether or not hearing aid technology can help you manage certain conditions and disorders.
The Bottom Line: Better Hearing Improves Balance
Just as your eyes help you identify where you are in space, so too does hearing. In fact, because your hearing and balance centers are both located within the inner ear, they’re often connected. If you’re suffering from a balance disorder or hearing loss, it’s worth troubleshooting with an audiologist to see if a new set of hearing aids can improve your symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About If Hearing Aids Help With Balance
Often, yes. The auditory nerve and the vestibular system are both located in the inner ear, meaning that when one is damaged, infected, or affected by a neurological condition, the other may be affected as well. For example, sensorineural hearing loss often leads to dizziness, just as a balance disorder like Ménière’s disease can cause hearing impairment and tinnitus.
Not necessarily. While overlap is common, not every senior with hearing loss will have balance problems, and vice versa. A professional audiologist can help determine if your condition is impacting both systems.
Hearing helps with balance not only because it’s a key sense but also because hearing and balance systems share fluid, hair cells, and nerve pathways. When you hear better, your brain has an easier time picking up on signals that provide spatial awareness.
Yes. Hearing aids improve balance and spatial awareness just as having glasses can. By picking up sounds around you, your brain builds a more accurate map of your position in space, reducing dizziness and vertigo. However, hearing aids DO NOT cure balance disorders.
The best course of action is to visit an audiologist, neurotologist, or otoneurologist for professional tests, recommendations, and prescriptions. Common balance assessments include the heel-to-toe test, the foam pad test, the Romberg test, and videonystagmography (VNG). Hearing tests can help you identify not only your level of hearing loss but also potential causes.
You can buy hearing aids either over-the-counter (OTC) or as a prescription filled out by your audiologist. OTC options are generally cheaper and easier to replace, while prescription models offer personalized amplification and additional features at a higher price.
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