Adele reveals she is partially deaf after her concerts in Munich, on top of other health struggles

Legendary singer Adele gathers millions of fans whenever she announces a new concert. In August 2024, she enjoyed a ten-day residency in Munich, Germany, for which the organizers had built a whole 'Adele Experience', including rollercoasters and food trucks.

Despite all the fun, the singer recently announced that concerts had repercussions on the singer's health. Here's what you should know.

Adele reveals she is now partially deaf

On Friday 25 October 2024, while she was performing on stage in Las Vegas, Adele - who is known for talking a lot during her concerts, for her fans' greatest pleasure - opened up about her ongoing health struggles. Indeed, the music icon explained she got a rare ear infection while she was doing her ten-day residency in Munich, which left her in extreme pain. The 36-year-old singer said:

I have an ear infection, which is pretty grim. I’ve never had one before. It’s the most painful thing that’s ever, ever happened to me.

The mother-of-one explained the pain was worse than anything she has felt before, including childbirth.

It was worse than childbirth. It’s a rare water bacteria. It’s very hard to treat. I was on the wrong antibiotics for a few days and they managed to give me one that started to work.

Luckily for her, Adele is being treated with the right medicine this time, and the pain has finally subsided. Sadly, the ordeal had long-lasting consequences on the singer's health, as she told her fans on stage:

I wanted to chop my ear off a few times. I’m no longer in pain, which is great but I’m a bit deaf in my left ear.

She has been dealing with health struggles in the past

This is not the first time Adele has shared her health struggles with her fans. In 2011, the singer had to cancel a series of concerts after undergoing 'vocal cord microsurgery' to remove a benign polyp. She wrote on her blog at the time:

If I continue to pick up everything before I have properly conquered these problems and nipped them in the bud, I will be totally and utterly f****d. Singing is literally my life, it's my hobby, my love, my freedom and now my job.

Sadly, this was not the only time Adele has had to cancel shows because of her health issues. In 2017, she had to cancel the last two dates of her European tour, which were supposed to take place in Wembley, because her vocal cords had been damaged once again. She wrote on social media:

On medical advice, I simply am unable to perform over the weekend. To say I'm heartbroken would be a complete understatement.

In August 2023, Adele told her fans she had collapsed backstage due to a violent sciatica attack, which left her unable to walk. Since then, she struggles with chronic back pain. The singer also had to postpone some of her Las Vegas concerts in 2023 after an illness impacted her voice.

Read more:

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Sources used:

Daily Mail: Inside Adele's health battles: from painful spinal condition to throat surgery as she postpones Las Vegas show after sickness 'took toll' on her voice

The Sun: ADELE'S AGONY Adele reveals she’s been struck down by ear infection that’s left her partially deaf and in pain ‘worse than childbirth’