Hearing loss is often dismissed as a minor inconvenience — maybe the TV gets turned up louder or conversations take a little more effort. But at Twin Tiers Hearing Aid Clinic, we understand that untreated hearing loss can impact more than just your ability to hear. In fact, it’s closely linked to an increased risk of falls — especially in older adults.
Did you know that part of your sense of balance lives in your ears? Within your inner ear is the vestibular system, a structure that works alongside your brain to help keep you stable, upright, and aware of your position in space. If hearing begins to decline, particularly due to damage in the inner ear, the vestibular system’s performance can also be affected.
This disruption can lead to dizziness, poor balance, and a higher likelihood of falls — which are one of the leading causes of injury in older adults.
Studies, including one from Johns Hopkins University, have shown that individuals with even mild hearing loss are three times more likely to fall than those without hearing loss. As hearing loss becomes more severe, the risk increases accordingly.
This is partly because people with hearing loss may miss important environmental cues — voices, alarms, footsteps — that help keep us safe and aware. It also puts extra strain on the brain, redirecting mental energy away from balance and movement coordination.
When your brain is forced to work harder to interpret sounds, it diverts cognitive resources from other essential functions — like maintaining balance. This mental load can reduce physical awareness and lead to instability, especially in unfamiliar or low-light environments.
Add to that the tendency to withdraw from physical and social activity due to hearing loss, and you have a recipe for weakened muscles, reduced reflexes, and a greater fall risk over time.
If you’re frequently steadying yourself on furniture, feeling off-balance in busy or noisy spaces, or avoiding places where communication is difficult, your hearing could be playing a role. Fatigue after social interactions or difficulty hearing in groups may also point to early hearing issues.
Fortunately, modern hearing aids are highly advanced — offering clear sound, comfortable design, and even features like motion sensors and fall alerts. More importantly, they help restore the brain’s connection to sound, reducing cognitive strain and improving environmental awareness.
Many of our patients report feeling more confident, more stable, and more socially engaged within weeks of wearing their hearing aids.
At Twin Tiers Hearing Aid Clinic, we’re committed to your total well-being. A hearing test is a simple step that can reveal important information about your hearing and your risk of falls — and help prevent accidents before they happen.
If you or a loved one has been delaying a hearing evaluation, we encourage you to reach out. Let us help you stay steady, safe, and connected.
Call us today to schedule your hearing check — and take a proactive step toward better balance.
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Lori is currently the patient care coordinator at Ear to Hear in Elmira, NY & has been with us since 2020. She is absolutely wonderful & enjoys talking with our current patients and getting to meet new ones!
Benjamin and Estelle have been coming to work since they were 12 weeks old. They love greeting patients with excitement, hoping for some attention in return. They love sitting on everyone's lap and getting pet. There have been many opportunities for Benjamin and Estelle to be a comfort to those patients who come into our clinics for the first time feeling nervous. The dogs give them a sense of calmness and make them feel more at home.
Linda had recently joined Twin Tiers Hearing Aid Clinic in our Corning, NY clinic. She is originally from El Paso, Texas and is new to the Southern Tier area. Linda has an extensive background working in the medical field as office support staff and is extremely welcoming, kind and efficient. When she is not at work, she enjoys the outdoor activities that our surrounding area has to offer and she is also looking forward to the change of seasons that the east coast brings us.
Megan has been part of the hearing care industry for the last several years and is the provider in our Corning, NY location. She is very compassionate and caring with our patents and enjoys what she does. Educating the community on hearing loss, cognitive health and tinnitus are a large part of what she does every day. When she is not working, she enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her family and two beautiful girls.
Sean is a Nationally Board-Certified Hearing Aid Dispenser licensed to practice in New York State. He has over 30 years of experience in audiometric testing, verification, and hearing aid fitting. Sean was raised in the hearing care industry with his family who owned and operated O'Brien's Hearing Center in Elmira, NY for over 40 years. Sean joined the staff of Twin Tiers Hearing Aid Clinic in 2025 so that he can focus on what he loves to do most, taking care of his patients. He is the main provider in our Elmira, NY clinic.
Adrienne is a Board-Certified NYS licensed hearing instrument specialist who started in the hearing health care industry as a PCC. She later became a provider and then eventually became a clinic owner. Adrienne opened Twin Tiers Hearing Aid Clinic in Corning, NY in 2021 with a second location in Elmira NY. She later acquired Ear to Hear located in Auburn and Geneva, NY and later added The Hearing Aid Shop in Bolivar NY. Adrienne is excited to bring her excellent service and patient centric care to her clinics. She feels that hearing is the pathway to many of life’s great connections, and she finds joy in helping others find those important connections again. Adrienne currently resides in Horseheads NY with her family and dogs.