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 is not that severe at the moment and getting a hearing aid isn’t worth it?
Even if you think you’re doing ok at the moment, your hearing loss might get a lot worse – and if that happens, it might potentially cost you upwards of $30,000 per year. Not having a portion of your hearing means you may miss significant work or medical information and opportunities, and you could end up injuring yourself physically, too.
Unemployment and lost opportunities
If you can’t hear everything you’re supposed to, it will eventually effect your work performance. Your inability to hear coworkers could cause a breakdown in relationships and you could get passed over on opportunities for future projects because you failed to follow instructions on previous projects. You could wind up being overlooked by people at all levels if you become socially isolated at work. You might not be capable of reaching your max earning potential as these “small” things add up over time. Research conducted by the Better Hearing Institute revealed that people who have neglected hearing loss earned, on average, $20,000 less a year than those who treated their loss of hearing.
Research also indicates that individuals with neglected hearing loss have a higher danger of being unemployed. People who don’t address their hearing loss will be 15% more likely to be unemployed. Not getting treatment, consequently, could cost you a lot of money as time goes by.
Added medical bills due to falls
Untreated hearing loss can deal another financial blow by actually making you more likely to have a fall. One study discovered that even individuals with slight neglected hearing loss increase their danger of falling by 300 percent. In addition, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls for every additional 10 dB of hearing loss. The researchers speculated that there could 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 paying attention to particular physical dangers. And when you fall it frequently results in an expensive trip to the doctor.
Increased general health problems
But that’s not all. If you can’t hear well, you might miss instructions from your doctor. When it comes to your health, you could have worse results if you miss information and that can produce increased health costs. All of these occurrences add up to a significant financial gap. Over time, considerably increased medical expenses will result from neglected hearing loss according to numerous studies. In one study, it was revealed that these individuals will have a 40% higher chance of trips to the emergency room and over a ten year period, will shell out over $20,000. A more recent study from the University of South Carolina revealed that untreated hearing loss led to a 33% increase in healthcare costs over an 18 month time period.
Moderate to severe untreated hearing loss can result in a substantially higher risk of death according to a study published by Johns Hopkins University.
So, if you’re interested in protecting yourself both financially and physically, it’s time to have your hearing examined. You might need hearing aids depending on the test results. If you do, you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised. Modern hearing aids are incredibly clear and comfortable. 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
https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2022/july-hearing-loss-and-falls