Have you avoided 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 warrant buying one?
Even if you feel like you’re doing fine at the moment, your hearing loss might catch up with you – and if that happens, it might potentially cost you more than $30,000 per year. Not only could you end up hurting yourself by neglecting your hearing loss, you could also cost yourself income and lost opportunities by not hearing important medical or work details.
Lost opportunities and unemployment
If you do not hear everything you need to, it will eventually impact your work performance. Your inability to hear coworkers may be causing a breakdown in relationships and you could get passed over on opportunities for upcoming projects because you failed to follow instructions on past projects. If you become socially secluded at work, you may be overlooked by people at every level of the company. These “small” things add up over time and impact your ability to reach your full earning potential. People who treat their hearing loss earn, on average, $20,000 more than people with neglected hearing loss as reported by research done by the Better Hearing Institute.
Unemployment rates are also increased for people with untreated hearing loss, according to another study. Individuals who don’t treat their hearing loss will be 15% more likely to be unemployed. Not getting treatment, consequently, could cost you lot’s of money as the years go on.
Falls will cost you even more in medical expenses
You’ll have a higher chance of falling if you have untreated hearing loss which can deal you another financial setback. One study found that even individuals with slight neglected hearing loss increase their chance of falling by 300%. 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 degree of hearing loss and effects on the vestibular system, which deals with balance, or that individuals with more profound impairment simply became more wrapped up in compensating for the loss than paying attention to particular physical hazards. And of course, those falls result in more medical bills, and consequently more cash out of your pocket.
Increased general health issues
But there’s more to it than just that. If you are unable to hear well, you might miss instructions from your doctor. If you miss information from your doctor, you might end up having worse consequences in health matters, thus leading to more bills and more problems. All of these incidents add up to a huge financial gap. Several studies have linked untreated hearing loss to considerably higher medical expenses over time. One study said the average increase was more than $20,000 over a ten year period and that these people were 40% more likely to go to the emergency room. The University of South Carolina released a study that indicated a 33% increase in healthcare expenses for individuals with neglected hearing loss over an 18 month period.
Moderate to severe neglected hearing loss can lead to a significantly higher danger of death according to a study circulated by Johns Hopkins University.
So, if you want to protect yourself both physically and financially, it’s time to have your hearing assessed. Depending on the test results, you might have to get hearing aids. If you do, you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised. Modern hearing aids are incredibly clear and comfortable. 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