Intimacy isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think about hearing aids. We get it. These little devices are usually advertised in rather concrete terms. Less defined expressions like poetry, music, and art are more suited to the topic of love.
But you might want to start looking at 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 separation from your partner. That means preserving intimate relationships will be just as difficult as trying to talk with the clerk at the grocery store.
That doesn’t mean somebody with hearing loss isn’t capable of forming deep bonds or of experiencing beautiful, enduring relationships. It’s just that doing so takes specialized care and well-practiced adaptations. You probably haven’t matured those skills if your hearing loss has advanced gradually and that could mean your relationships may suffer.
By the same token, something as simple as a hearing aid can quickly and easily improve these priceless relationships and make true intimacy easier. Here are just a few ways that hearing aids might have a positive impact on your love life.
Improved communication
It’s well recognized that strong communication skills are at the root of a healthy relationship. Everybody will feel more appreciated and valued with strong communication allowing stronger emotional connections and reducing arguments.
But hearing loss can intensify normal communication roadblocks in the process making a difficult task much more difficult.
A hearing aid will help most rapidly in the following ways:
- Your boosted energy levels will make it simpler to communicate.When you experience hearing loss, talking and listening can take a lot of energy, leaving you feeling drained. Conversations can once again be fun and stimulating.
- The softer, whispered moments won’t get lost. Let’s be honest, it’s not pillow talk if you have to shout. You and your partner will enjoy those hushed quiet moments with hearing aids.
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. But if you can’t hear what’s going on all night, that won’t be very fun either. It’s easy to understand how this arrangement could cause resentment.
A hearing aid can help protect your independence. Your partner won’t need to order your food at a restaurant or be your translator when you’re at a dinner party. Additionally, it will be easier to continue going out and socializing on your own! You will be able to enrich your relationship by bringing back stories and adventures to share.
Your partner’s needs will be more accessible to you
There are many ways that hearing more could help make your partner’s life a little easier. Perhaps you jump in and help with dinner because your hearing aids permitted you to hear the cook timer sound. Or perhaps you hear your partner stumble on the floor and ask if they’re alright. When you hear your partner grumbling under their breath, you have a chance to ask what’s bothering them.
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 are compassionate and committed. They demonstrate your level of care. And that will make you a good partner. A hearing aid makes that a lot easier to accomplish because you’ll recognize those sometimes discreet audio cues.
You won’t miss the power of a whisper
When you have hearing loss, particularly when you haven’t noticed your symptoms, it may be difficult to recognize that you’ve stopped hearing those breathy whispers shared during intimate occasions. And part of the pleasure of being intimate, let’s be truthful, is those discreet, quiet moments. A hearing aid will allow you to enjoy the power of a whisper again. This means that your experience of partnership will be that much more profound.
Helping Your Relationship
Every issue with your relationship won’t be solved with a hearing aid, obviously. Nor is it impossible to have intimacy with hearing loss. The point here is that a hearing aid will make specific elements of your love life more enjoyable 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 inhibiting your connections. Make an appointment with us, a hearing aid could bring back welcome intimacy to your love life.