Have you avoided the calls from family, friends, 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 losing enough to warrant getting one?
If your hearing keeps getting worse, it could cost you up to $30,000 per year, even if you think that it’s fine for now. Not only could you end up injuring yourself by dismissing your hearing loss, you could also cost yourself income and lost opportunities by missing important medical or work information.
Missed opportunities and unemployment
If you can’t hear everything you’re supposed to, it will ultimately effect your performance at work. You could lose out on future projects because you didn’t follow instructions on past work, or your relationship with co-workers could have deteriorated because you couldn’t hear them. You could wind up going unnoticed by people at every level if you become socially isolated at work. You may not be able to reach your full earning potential as these little things multiply over time. People who are treating their hearing loss earn, on average, $20,000 more than individuals with neglected hearing loss according to research carried out by the Better Hearing Institute.
Research also suggests that individuals with neglected hearing loss have a higher risk of being unemployed. A neglected severe hearing loss translates into a 15 percent greater risk of being unemployed. Not seeking treatment, consequently, could cost you lot’s of money as time goes by.
Falls will cost you even more in medical expenses
Untreated hearing loss can cause another financial hit by actually making you more likely to fall. The chance of falling is raised by 300% for people with even slight untreated hearing loss as reported by one study. Additionally, for every 10 dB increase in hearing loss, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls. The researchers speculated that there could be a link between the amount of hearing loss and effects on the vestibular system, which deals with balance, or that people who have greater impairment just became more caught up in compensating for the loss than paying attention to specific physical hazards. And of course, those falls lead to more medical expenses, and consequently more money out of your pocket.
Worse health consequences
But there’s more to it than just that. If you can’t hear well, you might miss instructions from your physician. When it comes to your health, you could have negative outcomes if you miss information and that can result in increased health costs. All of these occurrences add up to a significant financial gap. Several studies have connected untreated hearing loss to substantially increased medical costs over time. In one study, it was revealed that these individuals will have a 40% higher risk of visits to the emergency room and over a ten year period, will pay out over $20,000. The University of South Carolina released a study that revealed a 33% increase in healthcare expenses for people with untreated hearing loss over an 18 month period.
Moderate to profound neglected hearing loss can result in a substantially 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 financially and physically. You may need hearing aids depending on the results of that test. You will probably get a pleasant surprise if you do. Hearing aids these days 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 respects.
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References
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2018/patients-with-untreated-hearing-loss-incur-higher-health-care-costs-over-time
