Sex and Hearing Loss? Hmm.
Let’s start with a hug. You already know what’s going to happen ... your hearing aids start buzzing. Your partner wonders where the buzzing is coming from. (Cochlear implants don’t buzz).
At this point you have two choices. Either pretend that you have no idea where the buzzing is coming from … what? who me? Or explain that the buzzing is coming from your hearing aids as you have a hearing loss. This can be the perfect opportunity to get to know each other better. If you take the path of denial, then you'll have to continually hide where the buzzing is coming from, which would be extremely challenging,
Let’s say the buzzing situation has been resolved and you’ve moved to a more intimate situation. Do you keep in your hearing aids or take them out? Both choices have pros and cons.
If you chose to keep your hearing aids in, there’s a good chance that you’ll be able to hear your lover say endearing words like “I love you”. On the other hand, there’s a good chance that you’ll be buzzing away.
What if your hearing aids fall out? Will you say "Wait, we have to stop and look for my hearing aids". And if you don't do that, will you wonder if you'll be able to find them later on? Or what if you take out your hearing aids and fling them down without giving thought to where you're put them. Then the next day you spend hours looking for them only to find out that the dog ate them! (My dog ate one of my hearing aids).
The other possibility is that you take out your hearing aids then all of the above problems disappear. But what happens when your lover looks at you with a beautiful smile, forgets you’ve taken your hearing aids out and says endearing words. What will you do? Will you say WHAT? or just smile but really wondering what’s been said. What if your eyes are closed and you haven’t noticed the other person is talking altogether?! Well, that's another issue altogether.
I've been told that it’s sexy to talk about your hearing loss openly. It shows you have self-confidence and that in itself is sexy. So what to do. So many choices! Whatever choices you make, I'm sure you'll work out the perfect solutions for yourselves.
Wish I could speak from recent experience, but alas I cannot....I'd be very interested in learning how others have handled such "delicate" situations. Happy Memorial Day to all.
I would never hide my hearing loss. That would be counterproductive. But, certainly, not everyone is willing to be with someone who is HOH or deaf.
I experienced a very distressing situation. When the relationship was new, the person was mesmerized by me and was eager to please. As the relationship developed, the person became more and more annoyed, by having to be in the same room with me and to face me, whenever speaking to me. ...became annoyed with watching films/TV, with captions on..in others words, became annoyed at having to accommodate my hearing loss needs. Consequently, the relationship did not last more than a few years. Talk about heartbreak..Being open and honest about my hearing loss helped me, only in the beginning. After awhile, my disability contributed greatly to the demise of the relationship.