Have you resisted the calls from friends, family, and co-workers to finally invest in a hearing aid? Are you feeling that right now you really don’t need a hearing aid or that you’re not losing enough to justify getting one?
If your hearing continues to worsen, it could cost you as much as $30,000 each year, even if you think that it’s fine for now. Not only could you end up hurting yourself by dismissing your hearing loss, you could also cost yourself income and lost opportunities by not hearing important medical or work information.
Unemployment and lost opportunities
Your work performance will be effected if you aren’t hearing everything you need to. You could get passed up for future projects because you didn’t hear instructions on previous work, or your relationship with co-workers could have deteriorated due to your being unable to hear them. You could end up being overlooked by people at all levels if you become socially secluded at work. These ”little” things compound over time and affect your ability to attain your highest earning potential. A study by the Better Hearing Institute found that people with neglected hearing loss earned, on average, $20,000 less a year than those who treated their hearing loss.
Unemployment rates are also increased for people with neglected hearing loss, according to other research. An untreated profound hearing loss translates into a 15 percent higher chance of being unemployed. Not getting treatment, consequently, could cost you lot’s of money as time goes by.
Falls will cost you even more in medical bills
Neglected hearing loss can cause another financial hit by actually making you more likely to have a fall. One study discovered that even people with slight untreated hearing loss raise their danger of falling by 300%. Additionally, for every 10 dB increase in hearing loss, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls. The researchers conjectured that there might be a connection between the degree of hearing loss and effects on the vestibular system, which deals with balance, or that people with more profound impairment just became more wrapped up in compensating for the loss than focusing on particular physical hazards. And when you have a fall it frequently results in an expensive trip to the doctor.
Worse health consequences
But there’s more to it than just that. If you can’t hear well, you could miss information from your physician. If you miss information from your doctor, you might end up having worse consequences in health matters, thus leading to more costs and more issues. All of these occurrences add up to a major financial gap. Over time, considerably increased medical expenses will result from untreated hearing loss according to numerous studies. One study noted the average increase was more than $20,000 over a ten year period and that these people were 40% more likely to end up in the emergency room. More recent research from the University of South Carolina suggested that neglected hearing loss led to a 33% increase in healthcare costs over an 18 month time period.
Moderate to severe neglected hearing loss can lead to a significantly increased danger of death according to a study circulated by Johns Hopkins University.
So it’s time for a hearing examination if you want to protect yourself physically and financially. You may need hearing aids depending on the results of that test. You will probably get a pleasant surprise if you do. Contemporary hearing aids are extremely clear and comfortable. Take advantage of the available technology to improve your life in all aspects.
References
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2018/patients-with-untreated-hearing-loss-incur-higher-health-care-costs-over-time
https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2022/july-hearing-loss-and-falls
