Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is a common condition. In fact, it’s the third most common physical condition among Americans, after arthritis and heart disease. Think hearing loss means you can’t do what you want to do?

Think again. Here are a few notable figures who achieved success despite their hearing loss.

Ludwig Van Beethoven

Ludwig Van BeethovenFamous 18th century classical composer

Beethoven suffered from a severe bout of tinnitus, otherwise known as a ringing in the ear, when he was only 26; within a few years, he was almost totally deaf. Remarkably, being hearing impaired didn’t hamper his musical genius, and he continued to compose and conduct for years after he was deaf.

You can actually find a few of the early hearing aids he used, like the hearing trumpet, at the Beethoven House in Germany.
[Source: http://www.beethoven.ws/loss_of_hearing.html]

Helen Keller

Prominent author, activist and lecturer

One of the world’s most prominent humanitarians and activists, Helen Keller was both deaf and blind. Keller was the first deaf/blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.

In fact, she was 24 years old when she graduated cum laude from Radcliffe, a women’s liberal arts university, in 1904. [Source: http://www.biography.com/people/helen-keller-9361967#educator-ann-sullivan]

Thomas Edison

Famous Inventor
While Edison was considered hearing impaired since birth, he lost a significant portion of his hearing in his teens, becoming technically deaf around that time. Like Beethoven, the exact cause (Or causes) of his hearing loss is unknown, but what is known is that it didn’t stop him from patenting a record-breaking 1093 inventions.

And while he isn’t credited with inventing the hearing aid (or the light bulb, contrary to popular belief), he’s still considered one of the world’s most prolific inventors [Source: http://www.nps.gov/edis/faqs.htm]

Francisco Goya

Spanish artist, printmaker and draftsman
Credited as the “Father of the Modern Era,” Francisco Goya was an 18th century Spanish artist who also suffered from hearing loss.

Presumably due to lead poisoning from the paints he used, Goya started losing his hearing in his 40s and was completely deaf by the time he was 46. Although his Life was plagued with various stages of extreme highs and lows; it was Goya’s obsession with deafness and human weakness that led him to create a bold, new style. [Source: http://hearinghealthmatters.org/hearinginternational/2012/the-deafness-of-goya-part-i/]

Lance Allred

First deaf NBA player
At age 28, Lance Allred became the first deaf person to sign with the NBA. At 6’11”, his natural prowess on the courts helped lead his little-known Weber State college team to the national championship, and shortly after he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Aside from basketball, Allred is an accomplished chess player and author, with two new books in the works. [Source: http://www.deafandhoh.com/lance_allred.html]

Brian Wilson

Lead singer, composer of The Beach Boys
Widely considered one of the best lyricists of all time, Brian Wilson is completely deaf in one ear. From an early age Wilson dealt with being hearing impaired, with some sources citing that as a pivotal factor for his depth and range as a musician.

The cause of his hearing loss is still unclear, but his body of work is nothing short of remarkable.

Lou Ferrigno

Actor, bodybuilder and motivational speaker

Best known for his two Mr. Universe titles and his career-making role as The Hulk, Lou Ferrigno Has been hearing impaired since he was a child. Stemming from an ear infection that wasn’t Properly treated, Ferrigno lost 80% of his hearing when he was only three years old.

Hearing loss Didn’t stop Ferrigno from achieving star status. In fact, in an interview with Audiology Online Ferrigno said, “I think that if I wasn’t hard of hearing I wouldn’t be where I am now. I think my Hearing loss helped create a determination within me to be all that I can be, and gave me certain Strength of character too.”

Hearing loss doesn’t have to be a burden or limit the things you want to do. Hearing aids today are much more discreet and come in a variety of different models. In fact, hearing aids have become so effective that 90% of the people who wear them say they improve their quality of life.

Don’t let hearing loss put a hamper on your life. Hearing care specialists like those at Miracle-Ear Offer free hearing tests and work with you to help you find the right hearing aids to help bring sound back into your world.