When you imagine hearing aids, intimacy probably isn’t the first thing you consider. We understand. These tiny devices are normally presented in rather concrete terms. Less defined expressions including poetry, music, and art are more suited to the topic of love.
But you may want to start looking at your hearing aid as an intimacy device because of the strong link between your hearing and your relationship. After all, the social separation that comes from neglected hearing loss can also mean isolation from your partner. That means preserving intimate relationships will be just as difficult as attempting to communicate with the clerk at the grocery store.
Hearing loss doesn’t inevitably mean you can’t enjoy wonderful relationships and deep emotional bonds. It’s just that doing so takes specialized care and well-practiced adaptations. You most likely haven’t developed those skills if your hearing loss has advanced slowly and that could mean your relationships may suffer.
True intimacy, though, and improved personal relationships can come from something as basic as using a hearing aid. Hearing aids can have a positive affect on your love life in the following ways.
Improved communication
It’s no secret that healthy relationships require strong communication (although, it is often harder to practice than it is to preach). Taking the time to communicate can help avoid arguments, improve emotional connections, and make everybody feel more valued and appreciated.
But the challenge becomes even more pronounced with hearing loss which can seriously hinder normal communication.
A hearing aid will help most quickly in the following ways:
- The softer, whispered moments won’t get lost. To put it directly, there’s no shouting in pillow talk. A hearing aid will let you enjoy more of those quiet, hushed moments between you and your partner.
- Your boosted stamina will make it easier to communicate.When you have hearing loss, speaking and listening can take a lot of energy, leaving you feeling drained. Conversations can once again be enjoyable and invigorating.
You won’t need to use your partner as a translator
If your partner has to repeat everything people are saying, it doesn’t make for a really romantic evening. Likewise, you won’t have a very good time if you can’t hear anything that’s happening all night. It’s easy to see how this arrangement could breed resentment.
Your independence can be maintained by using hearing aids. Your partner won’t have to order your food at a restaurant or be your translator when you’re at a dinner party. In addition, it will be easier to continue socializing on your own! This means you’ll have stories and adventures that you can bring back to your partner, enriching your relationship in the process.
Your partner’s needs will be more accessible to you
Your partner’s daily life will be so much easier in so many ways if you’re able to hear more. Perhaps you jump in and help with dinner because your hearing aids allow you to hear the cook timer sound. Or perhaps you ask your partner if they’re ok when you hear them stumble on the floor. When you hear your partner grumbling under their breath, you have a chance to ask what’s the matter.
All of this may not sound like much of a big deal. But these little gestures, taken together, will show your partner that you’re compassionate and committed. They demonstrate your level of care. And that’s what partners are supposed to do! You will have a much easier time achieving this with hearing aids which will help you detect more discreet audio cues.
You won’t miss the power of a whisper
You may have a difficult time hearing those breathy whispers shared during intimate moments when you have hearing loss, especially if it has developed so gradually you didn’t even detect it. And part of the fun of being romantic, let’s be truthful, is those discreet, quiet occasions. You will once more be able to enjoy the power of a whisper. Which means you’ll be able to enjoy the intimacy of your partnership in a more powerful way.
Helping Your Relationship
Every problem in your relationship won’t be fixed with a hearing aid, clearly. And if you do have hearing loss, you can still have intimacy. Hearing aids will make specific elements of your love life more enjoyable and enriching and that’s the main point here.
So if your relationship is a little… dicey… and you’re struggling to find a cause, it might be that your hearing loss is getting in the way of your connections. A hearing aid can return needed intimacy to your relationship so schedule an appointment as soon as possible.