Have your friends, family, and co-workers been requesting that you invest in hearing aids but you’ve been stubbornly avoiding it? Are you feeling that presently you really don’t need a hearing aid or that you’re not losing enough to justify getting one?
If your hearing continues to worsen, it could cost you up to $30,000 per year, even if you think that it’s fine right now. Not only could you end up hurting yourself by neglecting your hearing loss, you could also cost yourself income and lost opportunities by missing important medical or work information.
Unemployment and lost opportunities
If you don’t hear everything you need to, it will ultimately impact your performance at work. You could lose out on future projects because you didn’t follow instructions on past work, or your interaction with co-workers may have deteriorated due to your being unable to hear them. If you become socially secluded at work, you may be overlooked by people at all levels of the company. You might not be capable of reaching your max earning potential as these little things multiply over time. Research conducted by the Better Hearing Institute revealed that people with untreated hearing loss earned, on average, $20,000 less a year than people who treated their hearing loss.
Research also indicates that individuals with untreated hearing loss have a higher risk of being unemployed. A neglected severe hearing loss translates into a 15 percent greater chance of being unemployed. Not seeking treatment, therefore, might cost you lot’s of money as the years go on.
Additional medical bills from falls
Untreated hearing loss can cause another financial hit by actually making you more likely to fall. The risk of falling is raised by 300% for people with even mild untreated hearing loss as reported by one study. also, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls for every additional 10 dB of hearing loss. The vestibular system manages balance and researchers believe there may be a link between the degree of hearing loss and how it affects that system. Or, it may also be plausible that someone with untreated hearing loss simply gets lost in their environment because they’re overcompensating with their other senses. And when you have a fall it often results in a costly trip to the doctor.
Worse health consequences
But there’s more to it than only that. You might be missing some of the guidance from your doctor if you have neglected hearing loss. When it involves your health, you could have negative outcomes if you miss information and that can produce increased health costs. A huge financial gap will be the consequence. Numerous studies have linked untreated hearing loss to substantially increased medical costs over time. In one study, it was revealed that these people 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 indicated 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 significantly increased danger of death according to a study circulated by Johns Hopkins University.
So, if you’re interested in protecting yourself both physically and financially, it’s time to have your hearing checked. You may need hearing aids depending on the test results. If you do, you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised. Hearing aids these days are state-of-the-art, really comfortable to use, and sound clear. Make your total life better by taking advantage of this wonderful technology.
References
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2018/patients-with-untreated-hearing-loss-incur-higher-health-care-costs-over-time
