A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey found that around 40 million U.S. adults suffer from hearing loss. Among them is musician Alice Cooper (born Vincent Furnier) who isn't shy about saying how much hearing aids have helped him overcome the damage he has from "55 years of blaring, loud rock music." 

Vincent, aka Alice, is right. Johns Hopkins researchers have found that older people with moderate to severe hearing loss have a 61% increased risk of developing dementia compared to those with normal hearing.

But when they use hearing aids, it's associated with a 32% decrease in the incidence of dementia compared to hard-of-hearing people without the devices.

Now a study out of the University of Colorado Medical School reveals that your balance is also affected by loss of hearing acuity. Researchers have found that people over age 60 with hearing loss are 2.4 times more likely to fall than their normal hearing peers.

Overall, folks using hearing aids cut their fall risk in half and those using hearing aids for four or more hours a day reduce their risk of falling by up to 65%.

According to the CDC, 25% of older adults take a fall every year, sending more than 800,000 to the emergency room. In fact, falls are the leading cause of injury-associated deaths in this age group.

We hope you can hear what we're saying: Starting at age 50, get your hearing checked annually. And if you need hearing aids, find ones that work for you — and wear them often.