Have you resisted the calls from friends, family, and co-workers to finally get a hearing aid? Are you feeling like your hearing loss isn’t that severe right now and purchasing a hearing aid isn’t worth it?
Even if you believe you’re doing fine at the moment, your hearing loss could catch up with you – and if that happens, it might potentially cost you upwards of $30,000 per year. Not having a portion of your hearing means you may miss significant work or medical information and opportunities, and you could end up injuring yourself physically, too.
Missed opportunities and unemployment
Your work 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 future projects because you failed to follow instructions on previous projects. You could end up being overlooked by people at every level if you become socially secluded at work. These ”little” things add up over time and affect your ability to attain your highest earning potential. People who are treating their hearing loss earn, on average, $20,000 more than people with neglected hearing loss according to research carried out by the Better Hearing Institute.
Unemployment rates are also increased for people with untreated hearing loss, according to other research. A neglected severe hearing loss translates into a 15 percent higher chance of being unemployed. Not seeking treatment, consequently, could cost you a lot of money as the years go on.
Falls will cost you even more in medical bills
Untreated hearing loss can deal another financial blow by actually making you more likely to fall. One study found that even those with mild neglected hearing loss increase their danger of falling by 300%. Additionally, for every 10 dB increase in hearing impairment, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls. The vestibular system handles balance and researchers think there might be a link between the level of hearing loss and how it impacts that system. Or, it might also be plausible that somebody with untreated hearing loss simply gets lost in their environment because they are overcompensating with their other senses. And when you fall it frequently results in a costly trip to the doctor.
Worse health outcomes
But there’s more to it than only that. You may be missing some of the advice from your doctor if you have untreated hearing loss. If you miss information from your doctor, you might end up having worse outcomes in health matters, thus resulting in more costs and more problems. All of these occurrences add up to a major financial gap. Over time, considerably higher medical expenses will result from untreated hearing loss according to several studies. One study said the average increase was more than $20,000 over a ten year period and that these individuals were 40% more likely to go to the emergency room. The University of South Carolina published a study that indicated a 33% increase in healthcare expenses for people with neglected hearing loss over an 18 month time period.
Another study from Johns Hopkins University indicated that individuals with neglected moderate to severe hearing loss had a substantially higher chance of death.
So, if you want to protect yourself both physically and financially, it’s time to have your hearing evaluated. Depending on the results of that test, you might need to get hearing aids. You will probably get a pleasant surprise if you do. Hearing aids nowadays are state-of-the-art, really comfortable to use, and sound clear. Make your overall life better by taking advantage of this wonderful technology.
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References
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2018/patients-with-untreated-hearing-loss-incur-higher-health-care-costs-over-time