What Caused Beethoven’s Hearing Loss?

If you’re a fan of classical music, you probably know Ludwig van Beethoven suffered from deafness as a young adult. Despite his handicap, he continued to compose music that changed the course of musical history.

In the early 1800s, at the age of 28, Beethoven began to experience a particularly disruptive form of tinnitus, or ringing in the ears. So distracting were the sounds in his ears that he had problems hearing his own music. Although he continued to compose music for years after losing his ability to hear, he stopped performing in public in 1811 due to difficulty hearing his own performances and bouts of depression.

It’s not clear what caused Beethoven’s hearing loss. Although musicians have a higher rate of hearing loss due to long-term noise exposure, history suggests Beethoven’s hearing problems may have stemmed from lead poisoning. Other historians believe an autoimmune disease, syphilis, or typhus could have been the underlying cause. More recent research suggests a bone disease called Paget’s disease may have damaged the nerve that carry sound information to the brain. Nevertheless, by the age of 44, Beethoven was completely deaf.

Regrettably, deafness took its toll on Beethoven, both mentally and physically. Although he continued to compose music after his hearing deteriorated, he suffered through periods of depression, as happens with many people who lose their hearing, and turned to alcohol to ease his despair. Sadly, he died of liver complications due to heavy alcohol use.

Could Beethoven’s fate have been different had he been fitted with a hearing aid? At one point, Beethoven tried to ease his hearing problems by wearing a rather crude device of the time called a “hearing trumpet.” Unfortunately, it failed to improve his condition.

Luckily, composers of today don’t have to suffer the problems that Beethoven did. Digital hearing aids are sophisticated enough to distinguish between speech and noise and can be programmed to adapt to different environments. Unlike Beethoven, if you suffer from hearing loss, you too can take advantage of recent hearing aid advancements.  

Reference:

Wolf, P. (2001). Creativity and chronic disease Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827). Western Journal of Medicine, 175(5), 298.