Intimacy isn’t normally the first thing that one thinks of when you think about hearing aids. We get it. These little devices are usually presented in very concrete terms. Love, on the other hand, is something better suited for poetry, music, and art.
And yet, the two are closely connected to the point where you may want to start thinking of your hearing aid as an intimacy device. After all, when doctors, researchers, and hearing specialists talk about “social separation due to hearing loss,” they’re also pointing to isolation from your partner. That means maintaining intimate relationships will be just as challenging as attempting to communicate with the clerk at the store.
Hearing loss doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t enjoy wonderful relationships and deep emotional connections. But it will be necessary to make some practiced adjustments and take some special care. 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 enhanced personal relationships can come from something as basic as using a hearing aid. Here are some ways that hearing aids could have a positive impact on your love life.
Improved communication
It’s well known that strong communication skills are at the root of a healthy relationship. Everyone will feel more appreciated and valued with strong communication allowing stronger emotional connections and reducing arguments.
But the difficulty becomes even more pronounced with hearing loss which can severely interfere with normal communication.
A hearing aid will help most quickly in the following ways:
- You’ll have more energy for communication.When you experience hearing loss, talking and listening can take a lot of energy, leaving you feeling drained. With a hearing aid, chatting 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 foster more of those quiet, hushed moments between you and your partner.
Your partner won’t have to be your translator
Going out with 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 much fun if you can’t hear anything that’s going on all night. It’s not hard to imagine the type of resentment this could cause.
A hearing aid can help maintain 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. 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.
Your partner’s needs will be more accessible to you
Your partner’s life will be a whole lot easier in so many ways if you can hear clearly. Perhaps, thanks to your hearing aids, you hear the timer go off and come in to help with dinner. Or maybe you ask your partner if they need help when you hear them stumble on the floor. When you hear your partner complaining 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 show your partner that you are compassionate and committed. They demonstrate your level of care. And that will make you a quality partner. You will have a substantially easier time achieving this with hearing aids which will help you pick up on more discreet audio cues.
You won’t miss the power of a whisper
You might have a tough time hearing those breathy whispers shared during romantic moments when you have hearing loss, particularly if it has progressed so gradually you didn’t even detect it. And let’s be honest, those quiet sounds are part of the fun of intimacy. A hearing aid will allow you to experience the power of a whisper again. Which means you’ll be capable of enjoying the intimacy of your partnership in a more powerful way.
Helping Your Relationship
To be certain, a hearing aid won’t fix every issue with your relationship. And if you do suffer from 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 when hearing loss gets in the way of your connections, your relationships can become dicey and it can be difficult to find the reason. A hearing aid can bring back needed romance to your relationship so make an appointment right away.