Health and Me

Itisha Arya

Stranger Things Star Millie Bobby Brown Lives With Unilateral Deafness: Here’s What The Condition Means

milli bobby brown unilateral deafness

<span>Millie Bobby Brown</span> has built an impressive career, all while quietly managing a few health concerns along the way. From becoming a household name through Netflix’s hugely popular Stranger Things to leading films like Enola Holmes, the Gen Z actor (now a married mother of one) has made a strong mark in Hollywood. What many people may not realise is that her work has, at times, been shaped by a hearing-related condition. Brown has lived with hearing loss for most of her life, a fact that often goes unnoticed.

<h2>Millie Bobby Brown Reveals Having <span rel="noindex">Unilateral Deafness</span></h2>

Brown first spoke publicly about her hearing condition in a 2017 interview with Variety, where she shared that she has had hearing loss in one ear since birth. Even early in her career, she was clear that she would not allow it to stand in the way of her passion for performing. “I just started to sing, and if I sound bad I don’t care, because I’m just doing what I love,” she said at the time. “You don’t have to be good at singing. You don’t have to be good at dancing or acting. If you enjoy it and it makes you happy, you should do it.”

While Brown rarely focuses on her hearing loss, she has spoken about how it affects her daily life. In a conversation with Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper, she explained that certain sounds, like loud chewing, do not bother her because she can mostly hear herself when she eats. She also shared that her husband, Jake Bongiovi, whom she married in 2022, sometimes jokes that she has “selective hearing.” In reality, she says sounds often feel “muffled, like being underwater.” Brown admitted that she does miss important moments, including hearing directors call out “action” or “cut” on set.

Unilateral hearing loss happens when hearing is affected in one ear while the other ear functions normally. Even with hearing in one ear, this condition can make it difficult to understand speech clearly and to identify where sounds are coming from.

The level of hearing loss in one ear can range from mild to severe. When there is little to no hearing at all in one ear, it is described as severe or profound hearing loss, also known as single-sided deafness. Unilateral hearing loss may be present at birth, develop gradually, or appear suddenly. Depending on the cause, options such as hearing aids or cochlear implants may help improve hearing, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

<h2>Unilateral Deafness: What Are The Symptoms?</h2>

Many symptoms of unilateral hearing loss are similar to those seen with hearing loss in both ears. You may:

<ul><li>Ask people to repeat what they’ve said</li><li>Increase the volume on your television, laptop, or phone</li><li>Struggle to follow conversations, especially in noisy places like restaurants or busy workplaces</li><li>If hearing is affected in only one ear, tinnitus, or ringing, may occur on that side alone. You may also notice that you tend to rely more on one ear when speaking on the phone or listening to others.</li><li>Although unilateral hearing loss often develops slowly, it can also happen suddenly. If you experience a sudden loss of hearing in one ear, it’s important to seek medical advice promptly.</li></ul>

<h2>What Causes Unilateral Hearing Loss?</h2>

Doctors do not yet fully understand all the reasons why hearing loss occurs in just one ear. Causes can differ between adults and children. In children, hearing loss may be linked to genetics or infections. Possible causes include:

<ul><li>Noise-related hearing damage</li><li>Certain inherited conditions, such as neurofibromatosis Type 2, which can lead to acoustic neuromas in one ear</li><li>Head injuries</li><li>Traumatic brain injury (TBI)</li></ul>

<h2>Unilateral Hearing Loss: Is There Treatment Available?</h2>

According to the American Academy of Audiology, treatment depends on the underlying cause and the severity of the hearing loss. Available options may include:

<ul><li>Hearing aids: These are typically worn to support sound perception when one ear is affected</li><li>Contralateral routing of signal (CROS) devices: This setup uses two devices. One acts as a microphone on the non-hearing side and sends sound to a hearing aid worn on the functioning ear</li><li>Cochlear implants: These may help restore hearing in the affected ear and improve speech understanding and sound awareness</li><li>Bone-anchored hearing aids: These devices transmit sound from the non-hearing ear to the hearing ear through bone conduction</li><li>Frequency modulation (FM) systems: FM systems use radio signals to send sound directly from a microphone to a receiver, such as a hearing aid worn on the non-hearing ear</li></ul>

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Millie Bobby Brown has built an impressive career, all while quietly managing a few health concerns along the way. From becoming a household name through Netflix’s hugely popular Stranger Things to leading films like Enola Holmes, the Gen Z actor (now a married mother of one) has made a strong mark in Hollywood. What many people may not realise is that her work has, at times, been shaped by a hearing-related condition. Brown has lived with hearing loss for most of her life, a fact that often goes unnoticed.Millie Bobby Brown Reveals Having Unilateral DeafnessBrown first spoke publicly about her hearing condition in a 2017 interview with Variety, where she shared that she has had hearing loss in one ear since birth. Even early in her career, she was clear that she would not allow it to stand in the way of her passion for performing. “I just started to sing, and if I sound bad I don’t care, because I’m just doing what I love,” she said at the time. “You don’t have to be good at singing. You don’t have to be good at dancing or acting. If you enjoy it and it makes you happy, you should do it.”While Brown rarely focuses on her hearing loss, she has spoken about how it affects her daily life. In a conversation with Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper, she explained that certain sounds, like loud chewing, do not bother her because she can mostly hear herself when she eats. She also shared that her husband, Jake Bongiovi, whom she married in 2022, sometimes jokes that she has “selective hearing.” In reality, she says sounds often feel “muffled, like being underwater.” Brown admitted that she does miss important moments, including hearing directors call out “action” or “cut” on set.What Is Unilateral Deafness?Unilateral hearing loss happens when hearing is affected in one ear while the other ear functions normally. Even with hearing in one ear, this condition can make it difficult to understand speech clearly and to identify where sounds are coming from.The level of hearing loss in one ear can range from mild to severe. When there is little to no hearing at all in one ear, it is described as severe or profound hearing loss, also known as single-sided deafness. Unilateral hearing loss may be present at birth, develop gradually, or appear suddenly. Depending on the cause, options such as hearing aids or cochlear implants may help improve hearing, according to the Cleveland Clinic.Unilateral Deafness: What Are The Symptoms?Many symptoms of unilateral hearing loss are similar to those seen with hearing loss in both ears. You may:Ask people to repeat what they’ve saidIncrease the volume on your television, laptop, or phoneStruggle to follow conversations, especially in noisy places like restaurants or busy workplacesIf hearing is affected in only one ear, tinnitus, or ringing, may occur on that side alone. You may also notice that you tend to rely more on one ear when speaking on the phone or listening to others.Although unilateral hearing loss often develops slowly, it can also happen suddenly. If you experience a sudden loss of hearing in one ear, it’s important to seek medical advice promptly.What Causes Unilateral Hearing Loss?Doctors do not yet fully understand all the reasons why hearing loss occurs in just one ear. Causes can differ between adults and children. In children, hearing loss may be linked to genetics or infections. Possible causes include:Noise-related hearing damageCertain inherited conditions, such as neurofibromatosis Type 2, which can lead to acoustic neuromas in one earHead injuriesTraumatic brain injury (TBI)Unilateral Hearing Loss: Is There Treatment Available?According to the American Academy of Audiology, treatment depends on the underlying cause and the severity of the hearing loss. Available options may include:Hearing aids: These are typically worn to support sound perception when one ear is affectedContralateral routing of signal (CROS) devices: This setup uses two devices. One acts as a microphone on the non-hearing side and sends sound to a hearing aid worn on the functioning earCochlear implants: These may help restore hearing in the affected ear and improve speech understanding and sound awarenessBone-anchored hearing aids: These devices transmit sound from the non-hearing ear to the hearing ear through bone conductionFrequency modulation (FM) systems: FM systems use radio signals to send sound directly from a microphone to a receiver, such as a hearing aid worn on the non-hearing ear