PIERCING SUMMER WAVES

Music festivalgoers blithely brave wind, rain, mud, sun, and long toilet queues for the thrill of gatherings that, for certain age groups, have become de rigueur outings in the summer months. But the stats point to serious auditory dangers in front of the speaker stacks of star-filled stages: hearing loss and tinnitus. From Glastonbury to Boardmasters, Creamfields to Reading and Leeds, this summer will see festivals popping up around the UK with people from all over the world in attendance. However, despite the excitement that comes with festival season, research suggests that the prolonged exposure to loud music will put young people at greater risk of hearing loss. More than one billion people aged 12-35 are at risk...