Former Rugby Union star Ben Cohen has admitted he is very hard of hearing, but that advancements in technology have helped him cope with his disability.

The 40-year-old kept his hearing impairment a close-guarded secret for many years, and did not even reveal it when he appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013.

Without being able to hear the music or the beat, he relied on his dance partner Kristina Rihanoff to give him signals so he knew when to move.

Speaking to HELLO!, he said: “I wanted to achieve something and I set my mind to it.”

Cohen has now revealed he only has 46 per cent hearing and has suffered from tinnitus for “as long as I can remember”.

However, he credits technological advancements with enabling him to live with his hearing difficulties, saying: “Modern technology has helped immensely with ways to cope with the difficulties of hearing and every day challenges.”

While the former athlete kept his deafness a secret for years, he has now publicly revealed it, which could help other people who are hard of hearing become more accepting of their condition.

Another celebrity who has admitted to having difficulties hearing is former Coronation Street actress Sherrie Hewson.

The 68-year-old told the Daily Mirror that hearing aids have helped immensely, and prevent hearing loss from worsening at the same rate.

“You can’t restore any hearing you’ve lost but you can slow down the deterioration by wearing your aids whenever possible rather than turning up the volume on anything,” the Benidorm actress revealed.

A build-up of ear wax can also affect hearing, so even if you do not suffer from any degree of deafness, you might struggle to hear what people are saying with clarity if your ears are blocked.

To book an appointment for ear wax removal in Gateshead, give us a call today.