When you think about hearing aids, intimacy probably isn’t the first thing you think about. We understand. The advertising on these little devices is rather straightforward. Love, on the other hand, is something better suited for poetry, music, and art.
And yet, the two are closely linked to the point where you might want to begin thinking of your hearing aid as an intimacy device. After all, when doctors, researchers, and hearing specialists discuss “social isolation caused by hearing loss,” they’re also referencing isolation from your partner. That means maintaining intimate relationships will be just as difficult as trying 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. But it will be necessary to put in place some practiced adjustments and take some special care. You probably haven’t matured 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. Here are just a few ways that hearing aids could have a positive impact on your love life.
Improved communication
Obviously, healthy relationships need good communication (though, it is sometimes harder to practice than it is to preach). Taking the time to communicate can help eliminate arguments, improve emotional connections, and make everyone feel more valued and appreciated.
But hearing loss can intensify normal communication hurdles in the process making a difficult task much more difficult.
A hearing aid will help most rapidly in the following ways:
- You’ll have more vitality for communication.When you have hearing loss, talking and listening can consume a lot of energy, leaving you feeling depleted. With a hearing aid, conversing can be fun and energizing once more.
- You’ll catch more of those quieter, whispered moments. To put it directly, there’s no yelling in pillow talk. A hearing aid will let you enjoy more of those quiet, hushed experiences between you and your partner.
You won’t need to use your partner as a translator
Going out with friends won’t be all that enjoyable when your partner spends most of their time repeating everyone for your benefit. Likewise, you won’t have much fun if you can’t hear anything that’s going on all night. It’s easy to understand how this arrangement could lead to resentment.
A hearing aid can help preserve your independence. You won’t rely on your partner to order food for you at a restaurant or repeat what everyone is saying at a dinner party. And going out alone to socialize will also be easier. This means you’ll have stories and adventures that you can bring back to your partner, enriching your relationship in the process.
You’ll be more receptive to your partner’s needs
Your partner’s daily life will be a whole lot easier in so many ways if you’re able to hear more. Perhaps, thanks to your hearing aids, you notice the timer go off and come in to help with dinner. Or perhaps you hear your partner scuffle on the floor and ask if they’re alright. When you hear your partner complaining 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 are compassionate and committed. They show you 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 might have a hard time hearing those breathy whispers shared during intimate moments when you have hearing loss, particularly if it has developed so slowly you didn’t even detect it. And part of the fun of being intimate, let’s be truthful, is those discreet, hushed moments. You will once more be able to enjoy the power of a whisper. This means that your experience of partnership will be that much more powerful.
Helping Your Relationship
To be certain, a hearing aid isn’t going to fix every issue in your relationship. And if you do suffer from hearing loss, you can still have romance. Hearing aids will make certain aspects of your love life more pleasurable and enriching and that’s the main point here.
So if your relationship is a little… dicey… and you’re scrambling to find a cause, it might be that your hearing loss is getting in the way of your connections. Schedule an appointment with us, a hearing aid could return welcome intimacy to your love life.