Have you avoided the calls from friends, family, and co-workers to finally invest in a hearing aid? Are you feeling that presently you really don’t need a hearing aid or that you’re not missing enough to warrant getting one?
Even if you believe you’re doing just fine at the moment, your hearing loss could catch up with you – and if it does, it might potentially cost you upwards of $30,000 per year. Going without a portion of your hearing means you could miss important work or medical information and opportunities, and you may end up hurting yourself physically, too.
Missed opportunities and unemployment
Your job performance will be impacted if you aren’t hearing everything you need to. You could get passed up for future projects because you couldn’t follow instructions on previous work, or your relationship with co-workers could have deteriorated due to your being unable to hear them. You could end up being overlooked by people at all levels if you become socially secluded at work. These “small” things add up over time and impact your ability to attain your highest earning potential. Research conducted by the Better Hearing Institute revealed that people who have untreated hearing loss earned, on average, $20,000 less a year than people who dealt with their hearing loss.
Research also suggests that people with neglected hearing loss have an increased risk of being unemployed. Individuals who don’t treat their hearing loss will be 15% more likely to be unemployed. Not getting treatment, consequently, could cost you lot’s of money as the years go on.
Extra 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 revealed that even people with mild neglected hearing loss raise their risk of falling by 300 percent. And, for every 10 dB increase in hearing loss, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls. The researchers speculated that there could be a connection between the degree of hearing loss and effects on the vestibular system, which controls balance, or that individuals with greater impairment just became more wrapped up in compensating for the loss than paying attention to particular physical hazards. And when you fall it often results in a costly trip to the doctor.
Increased general health problems
But that’s not all. You could be missing some of the guidance from your doctor if you have untreated hearing loss. When it involves your health, you could have worse outcomes if you miss details and that can result in increased health costs. All of these occurrences add up to a significant financial gap. Multiple studies have linked untreated hearing loss to considerably higher medical costs 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. The University of South Carolina published a study that revealed a 33% increase in healthcare expenses for people with untreated hearing loss over an 18 month period.
Another study conducted by Johns Hopkins University suggested that people with untreated moderate to severe hearing loss had a significantly higher risk of death.
So, if you’re interested in protecting yourself both financially and physically, it’s time to get your hearing examined. Depending on the test results, you might have to get hearing aids. You will probably get a pleasant surprise if you do. Hearing aids nowadays are state-of-the-art, really comfortable to wear, and sound clear. Take advantage of the available technology to improve your life 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