Incredible Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno talks hearing loss stigma, cochlear implant

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - One in three people over the age of 65 have hearing loss, and while it can’t be reversed, there are some steps that can be taken in order to improve what and how you hear.

The first live-action “The Incredible Hulk” actor Lou Ferrigno visited Good Morning, Arizona to talk about his experiences with years of untreated hearing loss and his work advocating for “Cochlear” alongside clinical audiologist at Arizona Hearing and Balance Center Lindsay Shroyer. “When you talk about it, if you try to reframe it, but there’s so many people with hearing loss now,” Ferrigno said. “You can’t feel sorry for yourself...you have to take action.”

The cochlear implant Ferrigno advocates for is something for those who have hearing loss at or under 40%. “It’s not a kiddo thing. It’s not just an adult thing,” Shroyer said. “It’s about reducing the stigma.” Ferrigno said he chose bodybuilding for a sport growing up, because as a kid he wasn’t able to play team sports due to his hearing loss.

“My whole life changed, because I became a deputy sheriff and then became a worldwide speaker,” Ferrigno said. As for the Incredible Hulk’s impact on the MARVEL Cinematic Universe, he said that he’s proud that his work was a pioneering film. “It all came down to my dedication, my determination to succeed,” he said.

Click here for more information about Cochlear and to find out if you’re a candidate for the implant. For more information about the Arizona Hearing and Balance Center, click here.

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