HedKandi founder warns of risks of hearing loss ahead of World Hearing Day

  • DJ Mark Doyle spoke to our reporter Claire McGlasson about his experience with hearing loss

A music label founder is urging people to beware the dangers of loud music - after decades of DJing left him struggling with hearing loss.

Mark Doyle started DJing as a teenager and founded the label Hedkandi in 1999.

The company was behind the sale of millions of albums worldwide and led to him DJing internationally, but he says that decades of loud music started to take their toll.

But after he sought help for his hearing, a test revealed that Mr Doyle was struggling to hear high frequency sounds.

He said: “The TV volume starts to creep up. Your wife gets annoyed with you because you’re not listening or not hearing her. Conversations get difficult.

"You find you’re repeating yourself more. It affected my mental health.

"I was upset and didn’t do anything about it but that made me more upset.”

Mr Doyle was able to regain his hearing and he is still able to make music, while wearing hearing aids.

He compared the experience to “going around with two pillows on your ears and having them taped to your head for 10 years of your life”, before suddenly returning to normal hearing.

"I just took it for granted that it would never really affect me. [I thought] 'I'm never going to get old. I'm going to be a teenager for the rest of my life.'"

Audiologists say that young people could be damaging their hearing by listening to loud music and video games through headphones. Credit: PA Images

Rebecca Chowney, a hearing aid audiologist, said the problem could affect many people.

"Children and young adults don't realise the damage they are causing by listening to headphones and playing games on their Xbox and Playstation," she said.

"We recommend the 60/60 rule: turn the volume down to 60% of the device's volume for a maximum of 60 minutes."

World Hearing Day is held by the World Health Organisation on 3 March each year.

The WHO wants to raise awareness of how to prevent deafness and hearing loss across the world. 

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