Coldplay star Chris Martin has been fighting a secret battle with painful ear condition tinnitus for over a decade.
The rocker first started suffering from the ailment in 2002, and has to live with ringing in his ears and regular splitting headaches.
He blames listening to loud music in his teens, which can trigger the condition, and now is forced to wear special earphones on stage to ensure his tinnitus doesn't get any worse.
Opening up about his health battle, Chris told The Mirror: "I've had tinnitus for about 10 years, but since I started protecting my ears it hasn't got any worse - touch wood.
"The band use moulded filter plugs, or in-ear monitors. You can use industrial headphones but they look strange at a party.
"Looking after your ears is unfortunately something you don't think about until there's a problem. I wish I'd thought about it earlier."
A source adds, "Chris suffered with terrible ringing in his ears and excruciating headaches. If he hadn't sought treatment, he might not be performing today.
"When he does perform, he wears ear monitors to prevent hearing loss."
Chris is now fronting a charity campaign to raise awareness of tinnitus alongside fellow sufferers rapper Plan B and Gary Numan.