Have your friends, family, and co-workers been asking you to invest in hearing aids but you’ve been stubbornly resisting? Are you thinking that your hearing loss isn’t that bad right now and purchasing a hearing aid isn’t worth it?
If your hearing continues to worsen, it could cost you as much as $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 missing important medical or work details.
Lost opportunities and unemployment
Your work performance will be impacted if you aren’t hearing everything you need to. Your inability to hear coworkers could cause a breakdown in relationships and you could lose opportunities for future projects because you couldn’t follow instructions on previous projects. You could end up going unnoticed by people at every level if you become socially isolated at work. These ”little” things compound over time and impact your ability to reach your highest earning potential. Research conducted by the Better Hearing Institute found that individuals with neglected hearing loss earned, on average, $20,000 less a year than those who dealt with their loss of hearing.
Research also indicates that individuals with neglected hearing loss have a higher chance of being unemployed. A neglected profound hearing loss translates into a 15 percent higher chance of being unemployed. Not getting treatment, consequently, might cost you lot’s of money as time goes by.
Extra medical bills from falls
You’ll have a higher likelihood of falling if you have neglected hearing loss which can deal you another financial blow. One study found that even individuals with slight untreated hearing loss raise their chance of falling by 300 percent. also, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls for every added 10 dB of hearing loss. The researchers speculated that there might be a link between the level of hearing loss and effects on the vestibular system, which handles balance, or that people who have greater impairment just became more caught up in compensating for the loss than focusing on specific physical hazards. And when you fall it often leads to an expensive trip to the doctor.
Increased general health issues
But that isn’t it. If you are unable to hear well, you might miss information from your physician. If you miss information from your doctor, you could wind up having worse outcomes in health matters, thus resulting in more costs and more problems. All of these incidents add up to a major financial gap. Multiple studies have linked untreated hearing loss to considerably higher medical expenses over time. One study noted the average increase was more than $20,000 over a ten year period and that these individuals were 40% more likely to go to the emergency room. A more recent study from the University of South Carolina revealed that neglected hearing loss resulted in a 33% increase in healthcare expenses over an 18 month period.
Moderate to profound neglected hearing loss can lead to a significantly higher risk 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 physically and financially. You may need hearing aids depending on the results of that test. You will probably get a pleasant surprise if you do. Modern hearing aids are incredibly clear and comfortable. Make your overall life better by taking advantage of this amazing technology.
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
