Have you avoided the calls from friends, family, and co-workers to finally get a hearing aid? Are you feeling like your hearing loss is not that bad at the moment and getting a hearing aid isn’t worth it?
Even if you think you’re doing just fine right now, your hearing loss might get a lot worse – and if that happens, it could possibly cost you upwards of $30,000 per year. Not having a portion of your hearing means you could miss important work or medical information and opportunities, and you could end up injuring yourself physically, as well.
Unemployment and missed opportunities
If you don’t hear everything you need to, it will eventually impact your performance at work. Your inability to hear coworkers could cause a deterioration in relationships and you could get passed over on opportunities for upcoming projects because you couldn’t follow instructions on past projects. If you become socially isolated at work, you could end up less noticed by people at every level of the company. These ”little” things add up over time and affect your ability to attain your highest earning potential. People who treat their hearing loss earn, on average, $20,000 more than people with neglected hearing loss as reported by research carried out by the Better Hearing Institute.
Research also suggests that people with neglected hearing loss have a higher danger of being unemployed. An untreated severe hearing loss translates into a 15 percent greater chance of being unemployed. So, as time passes, letting your hearing loss go unattended could end up costing you lot’s of money.
Added medical bills due to falls
Untreated hearing loss can cause another financial hit by actually making you more likely to fall. The danger of falling is raised by 300% for people with even slight untreated hearing loss as detailed by one study. also, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls for every additional 10 dB of hearing loss. The vestibular system manages balance and researchers believe there might be a connection between the level of hearing loss and how it impacts that system. Or, it may also be possible that someone with untreated hearing loss just gets lost in their environment because they are overcompensating with their other senses. And obviously, those falls lead to more medical bills, and consequently more cash out of your pocket.
Worse health outcomes
But there’s more to it than just that. You may be missing some of the advice from your doctor if you have neglected hearing loss. When it comes to your health, you could have worse results if you miss details and that can result in increased health costs. A huge financial gap will be the result. Over time, considerably increased medical costs will result from neglected hearing loss according to several studies. One study said the average increase was more than $20,000 over a ten year period and that these people were 40% more likely to go to the emergency room. More recent research from the University of South Carolina indicated that untreated hearing loss led to a 33% increase in healthcare expenses over an 18 month time period.
Another study conducted by Johns Hopkins University indicated that individuals with untreated moderate to severe hearing loss had a significantly higher chance of death.
So, if you’re interested in protecting yourself both physically and financially, it’s time to get your hearing evaluated. You may need hearing aids depending on the test results. You will probably get a pleasant surprise if you do. Hearing aids nowadays are state-of-the-art, very comfortable to wear, and sound clear. Make your total life better by taking advantage of this amazing technology.
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References
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2018/patients-with-untreated-hearing-loss-incur-higher-health-care-costs-over-time
