Have you resisted the calls from friends, family, and co-workers to finally invest in a hearing aid? Are you feeling that presently you really don’t need a hearing aid or that you’re not losing enough to justify purchasing 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 for now. Not only could you end up hurting yourself by dismissing your hearing loss, you could also cost yourself income and lost opportunities by missing important medical or work details.
Unemployment and missed opportunities
Your job performance will be effected if you’re not hearing everything you need to. You could lose out on future projects because you didn’t follow instructions on previous work, or your relationship with co-workers may have deteriorated due to your being unable to hear them. You could end up going unnoticed by people at all levels if you become socially isolated at work. You might not be able to reach your full earning potential as these little things add up over time. People who treat their hearing loss earn, on average, $20,000 more than individuals with neglected hearing loss according to a study done by the Better Hearing Institute.
Research also suggests that individuals with neglected hearing loss have a higher chance of being unemployed. People who don’t treat their hearing loss will be 15% more likely to be unemployed. Not seeking treatment, consequently, might cost you a lot of money as time goes by.
Additional medical bills due to falls
Untreated hearing loss can cause another financial hit by actually making you more likely to have a fall. The risk of falling increases by 300% for individuals who have even slight untreated hearing loss as reported by one study. And, for every 10 dB increase in hearing loss, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls. The vestibular system handles balance and researchers think there might be a connection between the degree of hearing loss and how it affects that system. Or, it might also be plausible that someone with untreated hearing loss simply gets lost in their environment because they’re overcompensating with their other senses. And obviously, those falls lead to more medical bills, and thus more money out of your pocket.
Worse health outcomes
But that isn’t it. You might be missing some of the guidance from your doctor if you have neglected hearing loss. If you miss information from your doctor, you might end up having worse consequences in health matters, thus leading to more bills and more issues. All of these occurrences add up to a huge financial gap. Over time, substantially increased medical expenses will result from neglected hearing loss according to numerous studies. In one study, it was reported that these individuals will have a 40% increased risk of trips to the emergency room and over a ten year period, will pay out over $20,000. A more recent study from the University of South Carolina suggested that untreated hearing loss resulted in a 33% increase in healthcare costs over an 18 month period.
Moderate to profound neglected hearing loss can lead to a substantially higher danger of death according to a study published by Johns Hopkins University.
So it’s time for a hearing test if you want to protect yourself financially and physically. You might need hearing aids depending on the results of that test. You will most likely get a pleasant surprise if you do. Contemporary hearing aids are incredibly clear and comfortable. Take advantage of the available technology to make your life better in all respects.
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