Have you avoided the calls from friends, family, and co-workers to finally invest in a hearing aid? Do you think that presently you really don’t need a hearing aid or that you’re not missing enough to justify purchasing one?
If your hearing continues to worsen, it could cost you up to $30,000 each year, even if you think that it’s fine for now. Not only could you end up hurting yourself by neglecting your hearing loss, you could also cost yourself income and lost opportunities by missing important medical or work information.
Missed opportunities and unemployment
Your job performance will be impacted if you aren’t hearing everything you need to. Your inability to hear coworkers could cause a deterioration in relationships and you could lose opportunities for upcoming projects because you couldn’t follow instructions on previous projects. If you become socially isolated at work, you may be overlooked by people at every level of the company. You might not be capable of reaching your max earning potential as these little things add up over time. Research conducted by the Better Hearing Institute revealed that individuals with neglected hearing loss earned, on average, $20,000 less a year than people who dealt with their loss of hearing.
Unemployment rates are also increased for individuals with neglected hearing loss, according to other research. People who don’t treat their hearing loss will be 15% more likely to be unemployed. Not seeking treatment, consequently, could cost you lot’s of money as time goes by.
Additional medical bills from falls
You’ll have a higher chance of having a fall if you’re dealing with neglected hearing loss which can deal you another financial blow. One study revealed that even individuals with mild neglected hearing loss increase their danger of falling by 300 percent. Additionally, for every 10 dB increase in hearing impairment, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls. The vestibular system manages balance and researchers believe there might be a connection between the level of hearing loss and how it affects that system. Or, it might also be plausible that someone with untreated hearing loss simply gets disoriented in their environment because they are overcompensating with their other senses. And obviously, those falls result in more medical bills, and thus more cash out of your pocket.
Worse health outcomes
But that’s not all. You may be missing some of the advice from your doctor if you have neglected hearing loss. When it comes to your health, you could have worse outcomes if you miss information and that can produce increased health costs. A huge financial gap will be the consequence. Over time, significantly increased medical costs will result from untreated hearing loss according to several studies. One study noted the average increase was more than $20,000 over a ten year period and that these individuals were 40% more likely to end up in the emergency room. A more recent study from the University of South Carolina revealed that untreated hearing loss resulted in a 33% increase in healthcare costs over an 18 month period.
Another study from Johns Hopkins University indicated that people with untreated moderate to profound hearing loss had a substantially higher risk of death.
So, if you want to protect yourself both financially and physically, it’s time to get your hearing checked. You may need hearing aids depending on the test results. If you do, you’ll probably be fairly surprised. Hearing aids today are state-of-the-art, really comfortable to wear, and sound clear. Take advantage of the available technology to make your life better in all aspects.
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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