Over a third of North Wales adults say live music has left them with muffled hearing or ringing in their ears
More than a third of adults in North Wales say attending live music or gigs has left them with temporary muffled hearing or ringing in their ears, according to new research commissioned by Specsavers.
The figure, 37%, is higher than the Wales-wide average of 38% for all music events, and comes as the research also shows 45% of adults across Wales have noticed a change in their hearing over the past few years.
Despite that, more than a quarter of those who have noticed a change say they have taken no action and do not plan to.
In North Wales, nearly a third of adults say they have never taken any steps to protect their hearing.
Welsh drummer and BBC broadcaster Owain Wyn Evans, who is fronting the Specsavers hearing campaign in Wales, said he first noticed changes to his own hearing around five years ago.
“I’ve been drumming since I was 10, often in very loud environments like rugby and social clubs, and over time I realised I was missing parts of conversations and turning the volume up more than I used to,” he said.
“It was a shock to be told there had been changes to my hearing, but it made me take my hearing health seriously.”
The survey found that across North Wales, 66% of people said community events such as Eisteddfod and local fetes brought people together through shared sound, and 59% said hearing a Welsh accent made Wales feel most like home.
For many people, the research found, losing the ability to hear those sounds would make them feel less connected to Welsh culture.
Annie Morris, Specsavers’ head of clinical performance, said people often did not realise how much their hearing had changed until it started to affect conversations.
“Changes to our hearing often happen gradually,” she said.
“The brain adapts to missing sounds, so people don’t always realise how much they’re no longer hearing until it starts to affect conversations or social situations.
“On average, people wait around 10 years from first noticing changes to seeking help and advice.”
Ms Morris added that while hearing changes could not be reversed, acting early could help slow further decline.
Only 24% of those in Wales who have noticed their hearing has worsened have had a hearing check in the past two years.
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