When you think about hearing aids, intimacy probably isn’t the first thing you consider. We get it. These little devices are usually advertised in rather concrete terms. Love, on the other hand, is something better suited for music, poetry, and art.
But you might want to begin viewing your hearing aid as an intimacy device due to the strong link between your hearing and your relationship. After all, the social isolation that comes from neglected hearing loss can also mean isolation from your partner. That means preserving intimate relationships will be just as challenging as attempting to talk with the clerk at the supermarket.
Hearing loss doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t enjoy beautiful relationships and deep emotional bonds. It’s just that doing so takes specialized care and well-practiced adjustments. You most likely haven’t developed those skills if your hearing loss has progressed gradually and that could mean your relationships may suffer.
True intimacy, though, and enhanced 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
It’s well recognized that strong communication skills are at the core of a healthy relationship. Taking the time to communicate can help prevent arguments, enhance emotional connections, and make everyone feel more respected 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 quickly in the following ways:
- You’ll have more vitality for communication.When you have hearing loss, talking and listening can take a lot of energy, leaving you feeling exhausted. 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 shouting in pillow talk. A hearing aid will let you enjoy more of those quiet, hushed experiences between you and your partner.
Your partner won’t have to be your translator
Going out with a group of friends won’t be all that enjoyable when your partner spends most of their time repeating everyone for your benefit. Similarly, you won’t have a very good time if you’re unable to hear anything that’s going on all night. It’s easy to see how this arrangement could breed resentment.
Your independence can be maintained by wearing hearing aids. 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 solo 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.
Your partner’s needs will be more accessible to you
Your partner’s daily life will be a whole lot easier in so many ways if you’re able to hear more. Perhaps you jump in and help with dinner because your hearing aids let you hear the cook timer sound. Or maybe 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 an opportunity 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 demonstrate to your partner that you’re compassionate and committed. They demonstrate your level of care. And that will make you a quality partner. A hearing aid makes that a lot easier to achieve because you’ll pick up on those sometimes subtle audio cues.
You won’t miss the power of a whisper
You might 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 pleasure of being romantic, let’s be honest, is those subtle, quiet occasions. You will once more be able to enjoy the power of a whisper. Which means you’ll be capable of enjoying the intimacy of your partnership in a more profound way.
Helping Your Relationship
To be sure, a hearing aid won’t fix every problem in your relationship. And if you do suffer from hearing loss, you can still have intimacy. The point here is that a hearing aid will make specific elements of your love life more pleasurable and more enriching.
So if your relationship is a little… dicey… and you’re scrambling to find a cause, it may be that your hearing loss is getting in the way of your connections. Schedule an appointment with us, a hearing aid could bring back welcome intimacy to your love life.