Twenty-two years ago as I left the house to go to see Motorhead - dubbed the loudest band in the world - my mother's words followed me out of the door: 'You'll ruin your hearing one day!'
At the time, I rolled my eyes dramatically, as every self-respecting 19-year-old should, and proceeded to assault my senses with 140 decibels of noise, which I now know is ten decibels above the sound of a jet plane taking off. The sound levels at the gig were too much for most of the fans; people were leaving in droves, but I stayed on. That night, I left the venue with my ears ringing and it took more than a week for the ringing to diminish.
My penchant for live bands and clubs has caused irreversible damage to my ears, meaning that the sound vibrations normally heard in everyday life are not being passed through the intricate network of nerves to my brain.
And it seems I'm part of a trend. According to the World Health Organisation, four million Britons risk serious damage to their ears by exposure to loud music - with 75 per cent of under-55s experiencing difficulty with their hearing. Hours spent listening to music on MP3 players and at concerts are to blame. I look at my daughter listening to her iPod and pray she learns from my mistakes.
Problems began in my 20s. I was working in a busy store with background noise from shoppers and music. I found it difficult to hear what customers were saying, and the word 'pardon' became my mantra.
