Health
Hearing aid use could help people extend their lives, USC study finds
Wearing hearing aids could increase life span, a new study has found.
Research by the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California found that people who wear hearing aids regularly had a 24% lower risk of mortality.
The study, published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity earlier this month, evaluated the history of nearly 10,000 patients over the age of 20 who received hearing evaluations.
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Researchers looked at data compiled by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2012 and followed the mortality status of each adult over an average 10-year period.
Of the 1,863 adults who were identified to have hearing loss, 237 were regular hearing aid users and 1,483 were considered “never users.”
There was no difference in mortality risk for people who wore their hearing aids irregularly, according to the study. (iStock)
The near-quarter difference in mortality rate remained evident between the two groups, regardless of factors like hearing loss severity, age, gender, income and medical history.
People who reported wearing their hearing aids less frequently were considered “non-regular users” in the study.
Between non-regular and never users, there was no difference in mortality risk indicated, which revealed that wearing hearing aids only occasionally may not extend life span.
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Janet Choi, M.D., a Keck Medicine otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat doctor) and lead researcher of the study, reacted to the findings in a statement sent to Fox News Digital.
As someone who uses a hearing aid herself, Choi said she found the significant difference in mortality risks “exciting.”
Health factors such as social isolation, loneliness, depression, anxiety, decreased physical activity and dementia could occur due to hearing loss, the study author said. (iStock)
“It suggests that there may be a potential protective role of hearing aid use against mortality among those who could benefit from hearing aids,” she said.
Next, Choi and her research team plan to investigate the “cause-and-effect relationship between hearing aid use and mortality, as well as other health outcomes and the underlying mechanisms.”
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“I encourage anyone experiencing hearing difficulties to get their hearing tested and determine the type and severity of their hearing loss,” she said.
“You might be surprised at the variety of hearing device options available to assist with hearing loss that can enhance daily communication and quality of life.”
“You might be surprised at the variety of hearing device options available to assist with hearing loss that can enhance daily communication and quality of life,” the researcher said. (iStock)
The researcher noted that it may take time to find the right hearing aids and get used to them.
“Once you do, you’ll be amazed to hear the sounds that you have been missing,” she said.
While the study did not pinpoint the reason that life span could improve with hearing aid use, Choi suggested there are “several possible mechanisms” that could contribute.
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“One hypothesis is that the use of hearing aids modifies the effect of hearing loss on various health outcomes that contribute to mortality, including social isolation, loneliness, depression, anxiety, decreased physical activity and dementia,” she said.
“Another potential mechanism is the restoration of auditory input itself, which may impact brain structures.”
Hearing aids could “improve communication and adherence in medical settings,” the researcher said. (iStock)
Hearing aids may also “improve communication and adherence in medical settings,” Choi added.
People who use hearing aids regularly are also likely to be more health conscious and have a “higher level of access to health care,” according to the doctor.
Kamal Wagle, M.D., a geriatrician at Hackensack University Medical Group in New Jersey, who was not involved in the study, reiterated the importance of the findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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The research highlighted how hearing loss is associated with other aging-related health issues, the doctor said, like social isolation, depression, dementia, falls and overall frailty.
“This is really good to know,” he said. “For me, as a clinician, it has a lot of implications – and I can bring it up with patients, so we can engage them in correcting hearing aids, so we can improve their quality of life.”
Hearing aid use could improve social interactions, a geriatrician told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
This study could help encourage more widespread hearing aid use, he noted, which could lead to improved social interactions, mood and “overall quality of life.”
This increase in social and physical engagement could then be a factor in living longer, Wagle suggested.
The doctor also noted that a “good number” of his aging patients are “not really engaged” in correcting their hearing, especially since the cost of hearing aids can be a deterrent.
“I think a study like this will probably also help move the momentum of insurance coverage for hearing aids,” Wagle added.
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Comedian Amy Schumer, 44, has recently come clean about her struggle with Cushing’s syndrome, leading to a dramatic weight loss.
Schumer’s transformation has sparked conversation online, to which she responded in a now-deleted Instagram post that shut down speculation about cosmetic enhancements.
“I didn’t lose 30lbs — I lost 50,” she emphasized on social media, adding that she does not get Botox or filler.
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Schumer doubled down that her weight loss was not about her appearance, but about staying alive.
“Not to look hot, which does feel fun and temporary,” she said. “I did it to survive. I had a disease that makes your face extremely puffy that can kill you, but the internet caught it and that disease has cleared.”
Amy Schumer attends Variety’s 2024 Power of Women: New York event on May 2, 2024, in New York City on the left. On the right, Schumer later poses for a photo posted to Instagram after her weight loss. (Marleen Moise/WireImage; Amy Schumer/Instagram)
“Sorry for whatever feeling it’s giving you that I lost that weight,” she added. “I’ve had plastic surgery over the years and I use [Mounjaro]. Sorry to anyone they let down. I’m pain free. I can [play] tag with my son.”
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The actress also addressed her shifting hormones, saying that she’s “happy to share more if anyone has any questions about how I’m looking or feeling or where I am in my perimenopause process.”
“I didn’t lose 30lbs — I lost 50,” Schumer emphasized on social media, adding that she does not get Botox or filler. (Amy Schumer/Instagram)
What is Cushing’s syndrome?
Schumer previously revealed that she had been diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome, a hormonal disorder that can cause extreme swelling, fatigue and potentially fatal complications.
Dr. Peter Balazs, a hormone and weight loss specialist in New Jersey, provided more details on the condition in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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“Cushing’s syndrome is caused by prolonged, high exposure to cortisol, which is your body’s main stress hormone,” he said. “Usually, the excess cortisol is a result of prolonged steroid use. We see this many times with patients who have some autoimmune disorder.”
Balazs said the “key” to Cushing’s syndrome is not just weight gain, but a “specific redistribution” of fat caused by too much cortisol.
Amy Schumer is photographed during a guest interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Feb. 13, 2024 (left), and later seen walking through midtown New York City on Oct. 28, 2025 (right). (Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images; Raymond Hall/GC Images/Getty Images)
Fat may be driven to the abdomen, chest, upper back (referred to as a “buffalo hump”) or face, sometimes considered “moon face,” the doctor said.
Cortisol also breaks down protein, which leads to a thinning in the arms and legs. “Weight gain can be tough, involuntary and hard to manage,” Balazs added.
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Cortisol stimulates “hunger centers” in the brain, raises blood sugar and promotes fat storage, especially deep belly fat, according to the doctor.
Cushing’s syndrome can also cause high blood pressure, bone loss and sometimes type 2 diabetes, per Mayo Clinic.
In addition to weight gain in certain areas, other symptoms may include pink or purple stretch marks on the stomach, hips, thighs, breasts and underarms, as well as acne, slow wound healing, and thin, frail skin that bruises easily.
With Cushing’s syndrome, fat may accumulate in the abdomen, chest, face or upper back (referred to as a “buffalo hump”). (iStock)
Women with Cushing’s syndrome often experience thick, dark hair on the face and body, as well as irregular periods. Symptoms among men can include a lower sex drive, reduced fertility and erectile dysfunction.
Mayo Clinic listed other potential symptoms, including extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, trouble with concentration and memory, headache, sleeplessness, skin darkening and stunted growth in children.
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Those with symptoms should contact their doctor immediately, especially if they are taking steroids to treat health issues like asthma, arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease, as these medications can exacerbate the condition.
The Mayo Clinic has reported that the “sooner treatment starts, the better the chances for recovery.”
“I’ve had plastic surgery over the years and I use [Mounjaro],” Schumer stated in a social media post. (George Frey/Bloomberg)
For patients like Schumer, weight loss is typically not the main goal, Balazs noted, but it is a “critical sign” of successful treatment.
“The primary goal is to normalize your high cortisol levels,” he said. “I believe Amy Schumer got treated first for her underlying problem. Once the cortisol is normalized, which is the most important step, there’s a role to use adjunct medications to decrease weight.”
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Among GLP-1s, Mounjaro is an “excellent choice to decrease deep belly fat and increase insulin sensitivity of cells,” Balazs added.
Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Giang-Paunon contributed to this report.
Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s rep requesting comment.
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