Hidden health condition causes relationship woes in almost half of all couples

Daily Mail​

04-07-2025

If struggling to hear your partner is causing tension in your relationship, you're not alone.
Nearly half of all couples have fallen out because of hearing loss, according to a recent poll of 2,000 adults.
The problem leaves two fifths feeling frustrated, a third feeling ignored, and a fifth feeling disconnected from their partner.
In fact, one in ten described it leaving them feeling unloved, and said 'What?' was a more common phrase in their romance than 'I love you'.
With over a third of adults getting the wrong gist of a conversation and 17 per cent to offending their partner, it can lead to easily avoidable arguments.
These miscommunications weren't one-offs—a third said they were misunderstood by their significant other a few times a week or more.
The findings followed a series of public stunts by the parents of UK comedian Jack Whitehall— Hilary and Michael Whitehall—who cheekily caused drama to show how Michael's hearing affects their daily lives.
Michael said: 'I've always blamed our usual bickers on Hilary's mumbling.'
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A post shared by Hilary Whitehall (@hilarywhitehall)
'After a little persuasion, I had a hearing check at Specsavers and it turns out, I have a little bit of hearing loss.. Who knew?'
Since the test, he has been fitted with hearing devices. He said: 'I've realised how much I was missing before—and the issues my hearing was causing.
'The most romantic thing you can do...is booking a hearing check.
'Safe to say, missing half the conversation isn't ideal in a marriage.'
The pair leaked CCTV footage of themselves arguing due to problems with Michael's hearing, before revealing it was part of a campaign to raise awareness.
Michael stood in front of a huge sign which read 'Dear Hilary, I'm sorry. Love Michaelxx'.
The poll by OnePoll also found couples ask each other to repeat themselves an average of four times a week.
And just under half reported having to shout at least sometimes to be heard by their significant other.
It also revealed two in 10 believe their partner doesn't listen to them when having a serious conversation.
The most common ignored topics included family issues (23 per cent), their feelings (22 per cent), and even problems in their relationship (16 per cent).
As a result, 27 per cent admitted they have accused their better half of 'selective hearing', with a third of all participants confronting them on it weekly or more regularly.
In extreme cases, this led 21 per cent to walk away or leave the situation—with 14 per cent revealing they even stopped talking to their partner.
Commenting on the findings, relationship expert Sarah Louise Ryan, said: 'Miscommunication in relationships is one of the most common issues I hear about in my couples practice.
'For some, it's that they're having trouble expressing themselves, or that they don't have the tools to resolve a difference of opinion.
'But in many cases, it's a result of couples not hearing each other correctly.
'This can cause marital tension, frustration, so if this sounds familiar in your relationship, don't put off seeking expert help.'
Meanwhile Specsavers hearing expert Sonam Sehemby, added: '18million adults in the UK have hearing loss and many don't realise that they are missing parts of the conversation.
'Since it develops gradually, people often wait up to ten years before seeking help.
'But when hearing loss starts to affect relationships, it's time to act—a hearing check can help couples reconnect and truly hear each other again.'
It is estimated one in six of UK adults are affected by hearing loss—which is more than eight million people.
The majority are aged 60 or over, with 900,000 people being severely or profoundly deaf.
Experts say the main causes of hearing loss are ageing, noise exposure, genetics and medical conditions.
In some cases, hearing loss can be due to infections that can be treated, or a build up of wax that can be removed.
But main treatments are hearing aids, cochlear implants—electronic devices that stimulate the auditory nerve to help people hear—or other assistive devices.