Effects of Bilateral Hearing Aid Use on Balance in Experienced Adult Hearing Aid Users

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the balance of experienced adult hearing aid users with and without their hearing aids via computerized posturography. Computerized posturography was accomplished by employing the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) on the NeuroCom Balance Master (Natus Medical Incorporated). The SOT assessed each participant's balance and the strategy used to maintain balance in 6 progressively challenging conditions. Twenty-two adults using bilateral at-the-ear hearing aids participated in the study. All participants completed all SOT protocols with and without their hearing aids. No statistically significant differences in participants' balance were identified regardless of the presence or absence of their hearing aids during the SOT. These results failed to support previous research, which indicated that amplification of auditory input could benefit balance in individuals with hearing and balance disorders. Further research utilizing randomized controlled trials is needed to resolve the disparity between the current results and those of previous studies.