William Shatner, 94, Reveals ‘Difficult’ Health Condition After On-Set Explosion

William Shatner opened up about a ‘difficult’ health condition that he has privately battled for three decades following an on-set explosion while filming Star Trek. 

In a new video for the nonprofit Tinnitus Quest, the 94-year-old actor, best known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in the popular sci-fi franchise, shared the challenges of living with a permanent hearing condition. 

‘My own journey with tinnitus started when I was filming a Star Trek episode called Arena, and I was too close to the special effects explosion, and the result was that I was left with permanent tinnitus,’ he recalled.

The small screen icon continued: ‘And over the years, I’ve had many ups and downs with my tinnitus, and I know from firsthand experience just how difficult it can get.’

Shatner, who diagnosed with tinnitus in the 1990s, went on to explain that ‘there are no effective treatments’ to treat his condition.

According to the American Tinnitus Association, tinnitus is ‘the perception of sound when no actual external noise is present.’ 

William Shatner opened up about a ‘difficult’ health condition that he has privately battled for three decades following an on-set explosion while filming Star Trek; seen in 1968

The nonprofit organization added that the condition is ‘commonly referred to as ringing in the ears’ and can also sound like ‘buzzing, hissing, whistling, swooshing, or clicking.’ 

Shatner also pointed out that ‘about 1 to 2 percent of the population suffer from a chronic, debilitating form of tinnitus.’

‘The more money we can raise for Tinnitus Quest, the quicker we can find a solution to help the millions of people suffering,’ he said. ‘Thank you so much for watching, and I hope you will consider donating to Tinnitus Quest.’ 

Previously, Shatner revealed to E! News in 2023 how he found out he had tinnitus.

‘I was on the beach and it’s a vivid moment, and you know how the waves go out — the wave comes in [roars] and then it goes “ssss” [as it] goes out. All of a sudden, I kept hearing a “ssss” even though there was another wave coming. And that’s how I discovered [I had tinnitus,’ the actor remembered. 

This led Shatner to see a doctor and ask if his condition would worsen. 

‘And [the doctor] said, “It might not. But of course it does as you age, it gets worse,”‘ Shatner recalled. 

After living with the condition for so long, Shatner said his brain started to ‘assimilate the sound, like it would if you were living beside an airport.’

In a new video for the nonprofit Tinnitus Quest , the 94-year-old actor shared the challenges of living with a permanent hearing condition

Shatner is best known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in the popular sci-fi franchise; seen in 1982

Still, at times, it still feels overwhelming. 

‘Sometimes it’s really bad, but I know it’s not going to kill me,’ he insisted. 

Despite his health condition, Shatner shared his secrets for remaining ‘energetic’ and youthful into his mid-nineties last year.

‘Just staying engaged in life, to stay curious. But the luck has a lot to do with it in your health,’ he told People. ‘Your life’s energy, the soul energy of your body is a product of health. If you’re sick, you can’t be energetic. You’re dying. So my luck has been, I’ve been healthy all my life.’