Have you avoided the calls from friends, family, and co-workers to finally get a hearing aid? Do you think that right now you really don’t need a hearing aid or that you’re not losing enough to justify buying one?
Even if you believe you’re doing ok right now, your hearing loss could get a lot worse – and if it does, it could potentially cost you more than $30,000 a year. 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 lost opportunities
Your job performance will be impacted if you’re not hearing everything you need to. You could get passed up for future projects because you couldn’t hear instructions on previous work, or your relationship with co-workers could have deteriorated due to your being unable to hear them. 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 max earning potential as these little things multiply over time. People who are treating their hearing loss earn, on average, $20,000 more than people with neglected hearing loss according to research done by the Better Hearing Institute.
Research also indicates that people with untreated hearing loss have an increased risk of being unemployed. Individuals who don’t address their hearing loss will be 15% more likely to be unemployed. Not seeking treatment, consequently, might cost you lot’s of money as the years go on.
Falls will cost you even more in medical bills
You’ll have a higher likelihood of having a fall if you have untreated hearing loss which can deal you another financial setback. One study revealed that even those with slight neglected hearing loss increase their chance of falling by 300%. And, for every 10 dB increase in hearing loss, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls. The vestibular system manages balance and researchers think there might be a connection between the amount of hearing loss and how it impacts that system. Or, it may also be possible that somebody with untreated hearing loss simply gets disoriented in their environment because they are overcompensating with their other senses. And of course, those falls result in more medical bills, and thus more money out of your pocket.
Worse health consequences
But that’s not all. You might be missing some of the guidance from your doctor if you have untreated hearing loss. When it comes to your health, you could have worse outcomes if you miss details and that can result in increased health costs. A major financial gap will be the consequence. Several studies have linked untreated hearing loss to considerably increased medical expenses over time. In one study, it was revealed that these people will have a 40% higher chance of visits to the emergency room and over a ten year period, will shell out over $20,000. The University of South Carolina released a study that revealed a 33% increase in healthcare costs for individuals with neglected hearing loss over an 18 month period.
Moderate to severe untreated hearing loss can lead to a substantially increased risk of death according to a study circulated by Johns Hopkins University.
So, if you want to protect yourself both physically and financially, it’s time to have your hearing tested. Depending on the test results, you may need to get hearing aids. If you do, you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised. Hearing aids nowadays are state-of-the-art, really comfortable to use, and sound clear. Take advantage of the available technology to make your life better in all aspects.
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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