GLASGOW music legend Lulu has told of her heartbreak after discovering she is suffering from hearing loss following six decades of live performances.
The Shout singer, who is currently embarking on her final tour, revealed she had been struggling with ringing in her ears for years before finally deciding to recently get tested.
The 75-year-old, who grew up in Dennistoun, was given the shock news that she has moderate hearing loss - and now requires the use of hearing aids.
She said: “After being on stage nearly all of my life, I started to notice ringing and muffled sounds, but never really thought much of it. Music has always been a cornerstone of everything I do, so it's incredibly important that I can still enjoy it.
"Wearing hearing aids will mean I can continue to hear every note."
The star says that being diagnosed and receiving help will allow her to continue to enjoy life, her passion for music and her career.
She added: "It's more than just this, connecting with people is a huge part of being me and I want to be able to join the conversation and not be left out of it.
"The good news is it's not too late for me to preserve what I still have of my hearing.
"Using hearing protection is also such a simple and easy thing to do when around live music and I'd urge other people to take heed. Music is still a massive part of my life and I plan to carry on enjoying it for many years to come."
Singer Lulu (Image: supplied)
Following her check up at Specsavers, Lulu has partnered up with the firm and the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) to promote the importance of hearing protection among concert attendees.
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She has also moved to reassure fans this tour won’t be the ‘last time ever’ she will take to the stage to sing.
Lulu added: “This is not the last time I’m going to perform, not the last time ever I’m going to sign, but I’m not going to continue doing tours the way I’ve done them… I’m 75.”
A survey of 900 concert and festival goers found half have suffered damage to their ears due to the roaring level of sound at live events.
Around 40 per cent noticed an immediate detrimental effect post-performance, with ringing ears being experienced by 58 percent as they left concerts. Furthermore, approximately 35 per cent reported a dulled sensation in their hearing.
Worryingly, temporary hearing loss was reported by 23 per cent, with 22 per cent experiencing actual physical pain in their ears. The information uncovered from this poll also discovered gaining a prime position near the stage and donning robust footwear supersede protecting their hearing as priorities for punters.
An alarming statistic revealed 46 per cent plan not to wear any form of hearing protection at upcoming summer concerts and festivals. This was most prevalent amongst fans of indie, rock and, perhaps surprisingly, classical music.
Out of these music enthusiasts, almost half admitted apprehension their enjoyment of a concert would be impaired should they wear hearing protection, while 36 per cent voiced concerns over how it might affect the overall sound quality.
Gordon Harrison, chief audiologist at Specsavers, warned: "With festival season well underway, it's crucial for music lovers to protect their hearing. Repeated exposure to high decibel levels at gigs and festivals has the potential to lead to permanent damage, such as sound-induced hearing loss and tinnitus.
"In fact, hearing damage can start at around 85 dB if you are exposed to it for eight hours plus - such as at a festival - if you don't wear hearing protection.
"Each additional three decibels of volume cuts that exposure time in half, so by the time the volume reaches 100 dB, which is still less than the average gig, it could only take 15 minutes for your hearing to be damaged, which is quite scary.”
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