Intimacy isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think about hearing aids. We get it. These tiny devices are normally advertised in very concrete terms. Less defined expressions like poetry, music, and art are more suited to the subject of love.
And yet, the two are inextricably linked to the point where you might want to begin viewing your hearing aid as an intimacy device. 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 challenging as trying to communicate with the clerk at the supermarket.
Hearing loss doesn’t inevitably mean you can’t enjoy beautiful relationships and deep emotional connections. It’s just that doing so takes specialized care and well-practiced adaptations. If you’ve been losing your hearing slowly and over time, you likely haven’t developed those extra skills, as a result, your relationships could suffer.
Conversely, something as basic 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 influence on your love life.
Improved communication
It’s well known that good communication skills are at the root of a healthy relationship. Taking the time to communicate can help prevent arguments, improve emotional connections, and make everybody feel more valued and appreciated.
But hearing loss can intensify regular communication roadblocks in the process making a challenging task much harder.
A hearing aid will help most quickly in the following ways:
- You’ll have more energy for communication.When you have hearing loss, talking and listening can consume a lot of energy, leaving you feeling drained. With a hearing aid, conversing can be fun and energizing once again.
- You’ll catch more of those softer, whispered moments. To put it bluntly, there’s no shouting in pillow talk. You and your partner will enjoy those hushed quiet experiences with hearing aids.
You won’t need to use your partner as a translator
If your partner needs to repeat everything being said, it doesn’t make for a very romantic night. Likewise, you won’t have much fun if you’re unable to hear anything that’s happening all night. It’s not difficult to imagine the kind of resentment this might cause.
A hearing aid can help preserve your independence. You won’t rely 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 going out and socializing on your own! This means you’ll have stories and adventures that you can bring back to your partner, enriching your relationship in the process.
You’ll be more receptive to your partner’s needs
Your partner’s daily life will be a whole lot easier in so many ways if you can hear more. Perhaps you jump up and help with dinner because your hearing aids allow you to hear the cook timer ring. Or perhaps you ask your partner if they’re ok when you hear them stumble on the floor. You will have the opportunity to ask your partner what’s wrong if you hear them complain under their breath.
All of this might 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 quality partner. A hearing aid makes that much easier to accomplish because you’ll pick up on those sometimes subtle audio cues.
You won’t miss the power of a whisper
You may have a difficult time hearing those breathy whispers shared during romantic moments when you have hearing loss, particularly if it has developed so gradually you didn’t even detect it. And part of the fun of being intimate, let’s be truthful, is those subtle, hushed moments. You will once again be able to experience the power of a whisper. Which means you’ll be capable of enjoying the closeness of your partnership in a more profound way.
Helping Your Relationship
To be sure, a hearing aid isn’t going to fix every problem in your relationship. 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 struggling to find a cause, it might be that your hearing loss is inhibiting your connections. A hearing aid can return needed romance to your relationship so schedule an appointment right away.