Have your family, friends, and co-workers been requesting that you invest in hearing aids but you’ve been stubbornly avoiding it? Are you feeling like your hearing loss isn’t that severe at the moment and purchasing a hearing aid isn’t worth it?
If your hearing keeps getting worse, it could cost you up to $30,000 each year, even if you assume that it’s fine for now. Going without a portion of your hearing means you may miss important work or medical details and opportunities, and you could end up injuring yourself physically, as well.
Lost opportunities and unemployment
If you do not hear everything you’re supposed to, it will eventually impact your work performance. You could get passed up for future projects because you couldn’t hear instructions on previous work, or your relationship with co-workers may have deteriorated because you couldn’t hear them. If you become socially secluded at work, you could end up less noticed by people at every level of the company. These “small” things add up over time and impact your ability to reach your full earning potential. A study by the Better Hearing Institute discovered that people with neglected hearing loss earned, on average, $20,000 less a year than those who dealt with their hearing loss.
Unemployment rates are also increased for people with neglected hearing loss, according to another study. A neglected profound hearing loss translates into a 15 percent higher risk of being unemployed. So, as the years pass, neglected hearing loss could wind up costing you lot’s of money.
Extra medical bills from falls
Neglected hearing loss can deal another financial blow by actually making you more likely to fall. One study found that even individuals with slight untreated hearing loss increase their danger of falling by 300%. Additionally, for every 10 dB increase in hearing impairment, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls. The vestibular system manages balance and researchers think there might be a connection between the level of hearing loss and how it affects that system. Or, it may also be plausible that somebody with neglected hearing loss simply gets lost in their environment because they are overcompensating with their other senses. And when you have a fall it often results in a costly trip to the doctor.
Increased general health problems
But that’s not all. You might be missing some of the advice from your doctor if you have untreated hearing loss. When it involves your health, you could have negative outcomes if you miss information and that can produce increased health costs. All of these occurrences add up to a major financial gap. Multiple studies have linked untreated hearing loss to substantially higher medical costs over time. One study noted the average increase was more than $20,000 over a ten year period and that these people were 40% more likely to end up in the emergency room. The University of South Carolina released a study that revealed a 33% increase in healthcare costs for people with untreated hearing loss over an 18 month time period.
Another study from Johns Hopkins University suggested that individuals with untreated moderate to profound hearing loss had a considerably higher chance of death.
So, if you want to protect yourself both physically and financially, it’s time to get your hearing evaluated. You may need hearing aids depending on the results of that test. You will most likely get a pleasant surprise if you do. Modern hearing aids are extremely 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
