Paul Stanley Talks Hearing Loss On CNN

Paul Stanley Talks Hearing Loss On CNN

June 14, 2011

CNN's "Human Factor" profiles survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle — injury, illness or other hardship — they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn't know they possessed. This week KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley explains how he became the frontman for one of the most successful rock bands in America, despite being born deaf in his right ear.

Says Stanley: "I was born with a Level 3 Microtia, which is a congenital deformity of the cartilage of the outer ear, and occurs in approximately 1 out of every 8,000 to 10,000 births. There is no ear canal and no direct path to the inner-workings of the ear. Except for bone conduction, I'm virtually deaf on my right side, as there is no access for sound to enter.

"I've had an implanted hearing aid for about two years now. This is a device that is usually given to children at an early age or to adults who have lost their hearing due to a medical condition. This has been an ongoing adjustment for me as my brain has never processed sound coming in from my right side. In the beginning, it was incredibly taxing and extremely confusing. It would be like you are suddenly developing an eye in the back of your head. That said, it has settled in quite a bit and I have to say, it has enhanced my day-to-day activities."

Read more at CNN.com