11 Famous People With
Hearing Loss
The constraints of hearing loss are well-documented and plans to minimize the accompanying physical burdens are common. Although treating hearing loss typically focuses on stabilizing hearing health, one of the more difficult aspects of hearing loss is a sense of alienation that can come with it.
Since hearing loss is invisible to others and progresses gradually, it can feel lonely trying to deal with it on your own. If you do believe you are beginning to have hearing problems but are hesitant to seek help, it might be comforting to know that you are not alone.
A staggering 360 million people suffer from hearing loss around the world. In fact, some of the most successful people in the entertainment industry are hard of hearing and are advocates for hearing health awareness.
Below are just a few of those inspiring examples
11 Famous People With
Hearing Loss
The constraints of hearing loss are well-documented and plans to minimize the accompanying physical burdens are common. Although treating hearing loss typically focuses on stabilizing hearing health, one of the more difficult aspects of hearing loss is a sense of alienation that can come with it.
Since hearing loss is invisible to others and progresses gradually, it can feel lonely trying to deal with it on your own. If you do believe you are beginning to have hearing problems but are hesitant to seek help, it might be comforting to know that you are not alone.
A staggering 360 million people suffer from hearing loss around the world. In fact, some of the most successful people in the entertainment industry are hard of hearing and are advocates for hearing health awareness.
Below are just a few of those inspiring examples
Robert Redford
Robert Redford, the 83-year-old acting legend, lost 60% of the hearing in his left ear after filming scenes for a film in 2013. During the scenes, crew members used fire hoses to simulate crashing waves. Redford was repeatedly hit in the head with heavy streams of water, causing an ear infection that resulted in his hearing loss.
Halle Berry
The Academy Award winning actress lost 80% of the hearing in her right ear as a result of a domestic violence incident.
Whoopi Goldberg
Famed actress and comedian, Whoopi Goldberg, has openly talked about her hearing loss and the fact that she wears hearing aids in both ears. She believes her hearing loss is the result of listening to loud music too close to her ears for many years. Now, she uses her story to advise children to not listen to music too loudly when wearing headphones.
Pete Townshend
Lead guitarist of the British rock group, The Who, Pete Townshend is completely deaf in one ear and only has partial hearing in the other, which is also troubled by tinnitus. Townshend attributes his hearing loss to using earphones while recording and to years of playing live on stage (The Who earned a Guinness World Record for the loudest concert ever). He now wears hearing aids and uses a special hearing monitor while performing.
Huey Lewis
Huey Lewis has extensive hearing loss and tinnitus due to the loud music he played for years and the lack of ear protection he wore while playing. He now wears hearing aids in both ears and raises awareness among musicians about the risks that could damage hearing.
Neil Young
Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young has been very open about his ongoing battle with tinnitus and hearing loss. Young's hearing condition got so bad at one point that he had to take a break from recording for a few years. Young attributes his deteriorating hearing health to his shift towards his more ambient sound.
Barbra Streisand
Despite all of her achievements, Barbra Streisand has battled tinnitus her whole life. The ringing in her ears was once so bad that it forced her to walk off stage during a performance. She has been on record saying how ashamed she was of her tinnitus and that she wanted to keep it a secret from other people.
Rob Lowe
While he was a baby, actor Rob Lowe had an undiagnosed virus that caused him to go completely deaf in his right ear.
Gerard Butler
When Gerard Butler was a child, he had surgery that left his right ear physically deformed. As a result, he has suffered from lifelong tinnitus and hearing loss in that ear.
William Shatner
Captain Kirk himself suffers from hearing loss. Shatner began suffering tinnitus due to a pyrotechnics accident while shooting an episode of Star Trek. After his tinnitus began, Shatner started wearing a small device that generated white noise in order to distract his brain from the constant ringing in his ears
Lou Ferrigno
Lou Ferrigno is an actor, speaker, and former professional body builder known for his role as The Hulk in the '70s and '80s. Ferrigno lost 75-80% of his hearing soon after his birth due to ear infections. He has worn hearing aids since he was 5 years old. Growing up with hearing loss, Ferrigno cites his experiences with bullying as a source of strength which motivated him to train and work hard.
Robert Redford
Robert Redford, the 83-year-old acting legend, lost 60% of the hearing in his left ear after filming scenes for a film in 2013. During the scenes, crew members used fire hoses to simulate crashing waves. Redford was repeatedly hit in the head with heavy streams of water, causing an ear infection that resulted in his hearing loss.
Halle Berry
The Academy Award winning actress lost 80% of the hearing in her right ear as a result of a domestic violence incident.
Whoopi Goldberg
Famed actress and comedian, Whoopi Goldberg, has openly talked about her hearing loss and the fact that she wears hearing aids in both ears. She believes her hearing loss is the result of listening to loud music too close to her ears for many years. Now, she uses her story to advise children to not listen to music too loudly when wearing headphones.
Pete Townshend
Lead guitarist of the British rock group, The Who, Pete Townshend is completely deaf in one ear and only has partial hearing in the other, which is also troubled by tinnitus. Townshend attributes his hearing loss to using earphones while recording and to years of playing live on stage (The Who earned a Guinness World Record for the loudest concert ever). He now wears hearing aids and uses a special hearing monitor while performing.
Huey Lewis
Huey Lewis has extensive hearing loss and tinnitus due to the loud music he played for years and the lack of ear protection he wore while playing. He now wears hearing aids in both ears and raises awareness among musicians about the risks that could damage hearing.
Neil Young
Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young has been very open about his ongoing battle with tinnitus and hearing loss. Young's hearing condition got so bad at one point that he had to take a break from recording for a few years. Young attributes his deteriorating hearing health to his shift towards his more ambient sound.
Barbra Streisand
Despite all of her achievements, Barbra Streisand has battled tinnitus her whole life. The ringing in her ears was once so bad that it forced her to walk off stage during a performance. She has been on record saying how ashamed she was of her tinnitus and that she wanted to keep it a secret from other people.
Rob Lowe
While he was a baby, actor Rob Lowe had an undiagnosed virus that caused him to go completely deaf in his right ear.
Gerard Butler
When Gerard Butler was a child, he had surgery that left his right ear physically deformed. As a result, he has suffered from lifelong tinnitus and hearing loss in that ear.
William Shatner
Captain Kirk himself suffers from hearing loss. Shatner began suffering tinnitus due to a pyrotechnics accident while shooting an episode of Star Trek. After his tinnitus began, Shatner started wearing a small device that generated white noise in order to distract his brain from the constant ringing in his ears
Lou Ferrigno
Lou Ferrigno is an actor, speaker, and former professional body builder known for his role as The Hulk in the '70s and '80s. Ferrigno lost 75-80% of his hearing soon after his birth due to ear infections. He has worn hearing aids since he was 5 years old. Growing up with hearing loss, Ferrigno cites his experiences with bullying as a source of strength which motivated him to train and work hard.