Have you avoided the calls from friends, family, and co-workers to finally invest in a hearing aid? Are you thinking that your hearing loss isn’t that severe right now and purchasing a hearing aid isn’t worth it?
If your hearing continues to worsen, 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 hurting yourself by neglecting your hearing loss, you could also cost yourself income and lost opportunities by not hearing important medical or work information.
Lost opportunities and unemployment
If you don’t hear everything you’re supposed to, it will ultimately effect your performance at work. 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. You may not be able to reach your full earning potential as these “small” things multiply over time. A study by the Better Hearing Institute revealed that individuals with neglected hearing loss earned, on average, $20,000 less a year than people who dealt with their loss of hearing.
Unemployment rates are also increased for individuals with neglected hearing loss, according to another study. A neglected profound hearing loss translates into a 15 percent higher chance of being unemployed. Not getting treatment, therefore, could cost you a lot of money as the years go on.
Extra medical bills due to falls
Untreated hearing loss can deal another financial blow by actually making you more likely to fall. The danger of falling increases by 300% for people who have even slight neglected hearing loss as detailed by one study. In addition, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls for every added 10 dB of hearing loss. The researchers conjectured that there might be a connection between the amount of hearing loss and effects on the vestibular system, which controls balance, or that people who have greater impairment just became more wrapped up in compensating for the loss than paying attention to particular physical dangers. And when you have a fall it frequently results in a costly trip to the doctor.
Increased general health issues
But there’s more to it than just that. You could be missing some of the guidance from your doctor if you have untreated hearing loss. If you miss information from your doctor, you may end up having worse outcomes in health matters, thus leading to more bills and more problems. A major financial gap will be the result. Over time, significantly increased 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 chance of visits to the emergency room and over a ten year period, will pay out more than $20,000. The University of South Carolina published a study that revealed a 33% increase in healthcare expenses for individuals with neglected hearing loss over an 18 month time period.
Moderate to severe untreated hearing loss can result in a significantly higher danger of death according to a study circulated by Johns Hopkins University.
So, if you’re interested in protecting yourself both financially and physically, it’s time to have your hearing assessed. Depending on the test results, you may have to invest in hearing aids. You will most likely get a pleasant surprise if you do. Hearing aids these days are state-of-the-art, very comfortable to wear, and sound clear. Take advantage of the available technology to improve your life in all respects.
References
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2018/patients-with-untreated-hearing-loss-incur-higher-health-care-costs-over-time