Have you resisted the calls from friends, family, and co-workers to finally get a hearing aid? Are you feeling that presently you really don’t need a hearing aid or that you’re not missing enough to justify getting one?
If your hearing keeps getting worse, it could cost you up to $30,000 each year, even if you assume that it’s fine right now. Going without part of your hearing means you might miss important work or medical information and opportunities, and you could end up injuring yourself physically, as well.
Unemployment and missed opportunities
Your job performance will be effected 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. You could end up going unnoticed by people at every level if you become socially isolated at work. You may not be able to reach your max earning potential as these little things multiply over time. A study by the Better Hearing Institute revealed that people who have neglected hearing loss earned, on average, $20,000 less a year than those who treated their hearing loss.
Research also suggests that people with neglected hearing loss have a higher chance of being unemployed. People who don’t address their hearing loss will be 15% more likely to be unemployed. Not seeking treatment, consequently, could cost you a lot of money as the years go on.
Added medical bills due to falls
You’ll have a higher likelihood of having a fall if you have untreated hearing loss which can deal you another financial setback. The risk of falling is raised by 300% for individuals who have even slight neglected hearing loss as detailed by one study. And, for every 10 dB increase in hearing loss, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls. The vestibular system manages balance and researchers believe there may be a connection between the level of hearing loss and how it impacts that system. Or, it may also be plausible that someone with untreated hearing loss just gets disoriented in their environment because they’re overcompensating with their other senses. And when you fall it frequently leads to a costly trip to the doctor.
Worse health consequences
But there’s more to it than just that. You might be missing some of the guidance from your doctor if you have untreated hearing loss. If you miss information from your doctor, you might wind up having worse outcomes in health matters, thus leading to more bills and more issues. A major financial gap will be the result. Over time, substantially higher medical costs will result from untreated hearing loss according to numerous studies. In one study, it was reported that these individuals will have a 40% higher risk of trips to the emergency room and over a ten year period, will shell out over $20,000. More recent research from the University of South Carolina suggested that neglected hearing loss led to a 33% increase in healthcare expenses over an 18 month period.
Another study conducted by Johns Hopkins University indicated that individuals with neglected moderate to severe hearing loss had a considerably higher chance of death.
So it’s time for a hearing assessment if you want to protect yourself physically and financially. Depending on the results of that test, you might have to get hearing aids. If you do, you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised. Hearing aids nowadays 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