Intimacy isn’t normally the first thing that one thinks of when you think about hearing aids. We get it. These little devices are normally presented in rather concrete terms. Love, conversely, is something better suited for music, poetry, and art.
But you may want to begin looking at your hearing aid as an intimacy device due to the strong connection between your hearing and your relationship. After all, when doctors, researchers, and hearing specialists talk about “social isolation caused by hearing loss,” they’re also pointing to isolation from your partner. That means maintaining intimate relationships will be just as challenging as trying to communicate with the clerk at the supermarket.
Hearing loss doesn’t inevitably mean you can’t enjoy wonderful relationships and deep emotional bonds. It’s just that doing so takes particular care and well-practiced adaptations. You most likely haven’t matured those skills if your hearing loss has advanced gradually and that could mean your relationships may suffer.
Conversely, something as basic as a hearing aid can quickly and easily improve these important relationships and make true intimacy easier. Here are some ways that hearing aids could have a positive impact on your love life.
Improved communication
Obviously, healthy relationships need good communication (although, it is sometimes harder to practice than it is to preach). Taking the time to communicate can help eliminate arguments, increase emotional connections, and make everybody feel more respected and appreciated.
But hearing loss can compound regular communication hurdles in the process making a difficult task much harder.
A hearing aid will help most rapidly in the following ways:
- You’ll have more energy for communication.When you experience hearing loss, talking and listening can consume a lot of energy, leaving you feeling drained. Conversations can once again be fun and invigorating.
- The quieter, whispered moments won’t get lost. Let’s be truthful, it’s not pillow talk if you have to yell. You and your partner will enjoy those hushed quiet experiences with hearing aids.
Your partner won’t have to be your translator
Going out with a group of friends won’t be all that much fun when your partner spends most of their time repeating everyone for your benefit. But if you can’t hear what’s going on all night, that won’t be very enjoyable either. It’s easy to understand how this arrangement could breed resentment.
A hearing aid can help maintain your independence. You won’t depend on your partner to order for you at a restaurant or repeat what everyone is saying at a dinner party. Additionally, it will be easier to continue socializing on your own! You will be able to enrich your relationship by bringing home stories and adventures to share.
You’ll be more receptive to your partner’s needs
There are a lot of ways that hearing more might help make your partner’s life a bit easier. Maybe you jump up and help with dinner because your hearing aids let you hear the cook timer ring. Or perhaps you hear your partner scuffle on the floor and ask if they’re okay. You will have the opportunity to ask your partner what’s wrong if you hear them grumble under their breath.
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 show you care. And that’s what partners are supposed to do! You will have a substantially easier time achieving this with hearing aids which will help you detect more subtle audio cues.
You won’t miss the power of a whisper
When you suffer from hearing loss, particularly when you haven’t noticed your symptoms, it may be hard to recognize that you’ve stopped hearing those breathy whispers shared during romantic moments. And part of the pleasure of being romantic, let’s be honest, is those subtle, quiet occasions. A hearing aid will let you experience the power of a whisper again. Which means you’ll be capable of enjoying the intimacy of your partnership in a more profound way.
Helping Your Relationship
To be certain, a hearing aid won’t solve every issue in your relationship. Nor is it impossible to experience intimacy with hearing loss. The point here is that a hearing aid will make specific aspects of your love life more enjoyable and more enriching.
So if your relationship is a little… dicey… and you’re trying to find a cause, it might be that your hearing loss is getting in the way of your connections. Make an appointment with us, a hearing aid could bring back welcome intimacy to your love life.