Have you resisted the calls from family, friends, and co-workers to finally get a hearing aid? Do you think that presently you really don’t need a hearing aid or that you’re not missing enough to justify purchasing one?
Even if you feel like you’re doing ok right now, your hearing loss might get a lot worse – and if it does, it could potentially cost you more than $30,000 a year. Not having part of your hearing means you could miss important work or medical information and opportunities, and you may end up injuring yourself physically, as well.
Missed opportunities and unemployment
If you can’t 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 couldn’t follow instructions on previous projects. You could wind up being overlooked by people at all levels if you become socially secluded at work. You might not be able to reach your max earning potential as these little things add up over time. Research conducted by the Better Hearing Institute revealed that people who have untreated hearing loss earned, on average, $20,000 less a year than those who treated their hearing loss.
Unemployment rates are also increased for individuals with untreated hearing loss, according to another study. Individuals who don’t treat their hearing loss will be 15% more likely to be unemployed. So, as the years pass, neglected hearing loss could wind up costing you lot’s of money.
Extra medical bills due to falls
Neglected hearing loss can cause another financial hit by actually making you more likely to fall. The danger of falling is raised by 300% for individuals with even mild 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 vestibular system manages balance and researchers believe 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 neglected hearing loss just gets disoriented in their environment because they are overcompensating with their other senses. And obviously, those falls result in more medical expenses, and thus more money out of your pocket.
Worse health outcomes
But that isn’t it. If you are unable to hear well, you could miss instructions from your physician. If you miss information from your doctor, you could end up having worse consequences in health matters, thus resulting in more costs and more issues. A huge financial gap will be the consequence. Multiple studies have linked neglected hearing loss to significantly increased medical costs over time. 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 end up in the emergency room. The University of South Carolina released a study that indicated a 33% increase in healthcare costs for people with neglected hearing loss over an 18 month time period.
Moderate to severe neglected hearing loss can result in a significantly higher danger of death according to a study published by Johns Hopkins University.
So, if you want to protect yourself both physically and financially, it’s time to get your hearing evaluated. Depending on the results of that test, you may need to invest in hearing aids. If you do, you’ll probably be fairly surprised. Contemporary hearing aids are extremely 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