Intimacy isn’t normally the first thing that comes to mind when you think about hearing aids. We understand. These little devices are usually presented in rather concrete terms. Less defined expressions including poetry, music, and art are more suited to the subject of love.
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 discuss “social separation caused by hearing loss,” they’re also referencing isolation from your partner. That means it isn’t just talking with the cashier at the store that becomes more difficult, it’s also maintaining your most important and intimate relationships.
Hearing loss doesn’t inevitably mean you can’t enjoy wonderful relationships and deep emotional connections. It’s just that doing so takes particular care and well-practiced adaptations. If you’ve been losing your hearing slowly and over time, you probably haven’t matured those additional skills, as a result, your relationships could suffer.
True intimacy, though, and improved personal relationships can come from something as basic as using a hearing aid. Hearing aids can have a positive impact on your love life in the following ways.
Improved communication
Obviously, healthy relationships need strong communication (although, it is often harder to practice than it is to preach). Taking the time to communicate can help prevent arguments, improve emotional connections, and make everybody feel more valued and appreciated.
But the challenge becomes even more pronounced with hearing loss which can severely hinder normal communication.
A hearing aid will help most quickly in the following ways:
- Your boosted energy levels will make it easier to communicate.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 stimulating.
- 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 moments between you and your partner.
You won’t need to use your partner as a translator
Going out with a group of friends won’t be all that enjoyable when your partner spends most of their time repeating everybody for your benefit. But if you can’t hear what’s happening all night, that won’t be very enjoyable either. It’s not hard to imagine the kind of resentment this might cause.
A hearing aid can help protect your independence. Your partner won’t have to order your food at a restaurant or be your translator when you’re at a dinner party. And going out solo to socialize will also be easier. You will be able to enrich your relationship by bringing home stories and adventures to share.
Your partner’s needs will be more accessible to you
There are a lot of ways that hearing more could help make your partner’s life a little easier. Maybe you jump up and help with dinner because your hearing aids permitted you to hear the cook timer ring. Or perhaps you hear your partner scuffle on the floor and ask if they’re alright. When you hear your partner grumbling under their breath, you have an opportunity to ask what’s bothering them.
All of this might 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 substantially easier time accomplishing 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 may have a tough 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 notice. And let’s be truthful, those quiet sounds are part of the fun of intimacy. A hearing aid will let you experience the power of a whisper again. This means that your experience of partnership will be that much more powerful.
Helping Your Relationship
To be certain, a hearing aid won’t fix every problem in your relationship. Nor is it impossible to experience romance with hearing loss. Hearing aids will make certain elements of your love life more pleasurable and enriching and that’s the main point here.
So when hearing loss blocks your connections, your relationships can become dicey and it can be tricky finding a cause. Make an appointment with us, a hearing aid could bring back welcome intimacy to your love life.