$20,000 – or More – a Year? Just for Wearing a Hearing Aid?

Stack of new $100 bills

Have you resisted the calls from family, friends, and co-workers to finally get a hearing aid? Are you thinking that 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 think that it’s fine right now. Not having part of your hearing means you may miss significant work or medical information and opportunities, and you may end up injuring yourself physically, as well.

Missed opportunities and unemployment

Your work performance will be impacted if you’re not hearing everything you need to. You could lose out on future projects because you couldn’t hear instructions on past work, or your interaction with co-workers may have deteriorated because you couldn’t hear them. You could end up going unnoticed by people at every level if you become socially secluded at work. These “small” things compound over time and impact your ability to attain your full earning potential. A study by the Better Hearing Institute discovered that people with untreated hearing loss earned, on average, $20,000 less a year than those who dealt with their hearing loss.

Research also indicates that people with untreated hearing loss have a higher danger 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

Untreated hearing loss can cause another financial hit by actually making you more likely to have a fall. One study revealed that even individuals with slight neglected hearing loss increase their risk of falling by 300%. also, there is a 1.4-fold increase in falls for every added 10 dB of hearing loss. The vestibular system handles balance and researchers believe there might be a link between the degree of hearing loss and how it impacts that system. Or, it may also be plausible that someone with neglected hearing loss simply gets lost in their environment because they’re overcompensating with their other senses. And when you have a fall it frequently leads to an expensive trip to the doctor.

Increased general health issues

But there’s more to it than only that. If you are unable to hear well, you might miss instructions from your doctor. When it involves your health, you could have negative results if you miss details and that can lead to increased health costs. A major financial gap will be the result. Over time, substantially higher medical expenses will result from neglected hearing loss according to several studies. 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. More recent research 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.

Another study from Johns Hopkins University indicated that individuals with neglected moderate to profound hearing loss had a significantly higher chance of death.

So, if you want to protect 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 fairly surprised. Hearing aids today are state-of-the-art, really comfortable to wear, and sound clear. Make your overall life better by taking advantage of this amazing technology.

References

https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2018/patients-with-untreated-hearing-loss-incur-higher-health-care-costs-over-time

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.