New MRBI research in Ireland indicates that 41% of Irish adults aged 15 plus wear earphones regularly and a massive 82% in the 15 to 24 age bracket wearing earphones more than once week. To mark Hearing Awareness Week, Hidden Hearing is to make a special donation to the Irish Deaf Society for every person tested through Hidden Hearing's Waterford Clinic, as a result of awareness week to help raise much needed funds.

Hidden Hearing is also making a special public information leaflet called Have You Heard? available, which outlines the basic facts that you need to know about your hearing featuring a simple self test on noise levels which can damage hearing.

The Have You Heard? leaflet is available by calling freephone 1800 882 884, emailing hearingaware(at)hiddenhearing.ie and through local GPs, or Hidden Hearing's Clinic on Arundel Square. The special hearing care line will open throughout the week by calling 1800 882 884 and the 45 Hidden Hearing centres throughout Ireland will be open to take queries and test people with concerns.

TV3's Mark Cagney had noticed a change in his hearing over the past number of years and decided to take matters in hand and have a check up. Mark comments "As I make my living through communication, my hearing is of particular importance to me. Over the past few years I noticed I'd been missing things ... as a presenter I've an earpiece in my right ear all morning on Ireland AM, so I need to be able to hear clearly what my producers are saying to me. Being a DJ in my former radio live, I'm well aware of the damage that earphones and loud noise can do, however, I'd a sneaking suspicion that I'd already done damage.

In July last year I decided to put my mind to rest and have a check up only to discover I was right … my hearing had dropped significantly in one ear and a little in the other. I decided to go the full monty and have new age style hearing aids fitted …I was delighted … they are so tiny, you can't even see them!"

Bill Somers is an Audiologist with Hidden Hearing Waterford – he advises, "These new figures are extremely alarming considering that the majority of people will have the sound level too high – It might be 10 years before these 18 to 24 year olds discover the irreparable damage. Beware of public transport – this can also do the damage. Most people listen to their MP3s on public transport, or in noisy places, so they'll tend to turn them up even louder to drown out the surrounding noise. Don't be tempted!

Noise-induced hearing loss is cumulative; it happens gradually over time so a young person listening to loud music will not know that they are doing damage. It's key that volume is kept relatively low ensuring they can still hear the sounds outside when wearing their earphones. We recently had one girl in to be tested and although she was just 25, she had the hearing of an 85 year old lady … she had no idea what damage she had done".

Hearing difficulties can have serious quality of life implications where untreated hearing loss can result in social isolation and withdrawl for people. People who opt for late retirement need to be sure that their hearing function is good, otherwise it can affect their performance in work. Bill continues, "A massive one in three people over the age of 60 suffers from hearing loss and it can often take an average of ten years for an individual to do something about it. There appears to be a stigma attached to having a loss of hearing and aids with many people leaving their hearing deteriorate significantly before they have it checked. Hearing devices have come a long way - many of the models are so small they can barely be seen, come in vibrant colours and even feature artificial intelligence".

Kevin Stanley, Irish Deaf Society, comments "The Irish Deaf Society stresses the importance for members of the public to be careful of exposure to loud noise that can damage the hearing and affect their lives. The IDS is the national representative organisation of Irish Deaf community with over 40,000 members. Many of our members have been born deaf, or became deaf at young age and hence are used to this loss – they tend to develop their own identity with sign language and the deaf community's culture. However, those people who become deaf at later age, or even suddenly, can find this to be highly traumatic to their health and social well-being. The IDS has lots of members who went through this life-changing experience. It is important for people who work in noisy environments, go to loud discos, or concerts to be aware of damage they can do.