John Mellencamp isn't ready to give up the stage, even if his hearing continues to deteriorate.The 75-year-old rock icon revealed he could be "totally deaf" by the time his upcoming tour ends, as he opened up about his worsening hearing and tinnitus during an appearance on the "Nepo, Baby!" podcast."I don't like going out 'cause I can't hear," Mellencamp said when asked about his hearing difficulties.JOHN MELLENCAMP SHARES HIS UNCONVENTIONAL ADVICE TO HIS CHILDREN ABOUT WORKJohn Mellencamp revealed he could be "totally deaf" by the end of his upcoming tour as he struggles with worsening hearing problems.(Timothy Norris/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)The "Jack & Diane" singer acknowledged that years of exposure to loud rock music may have taken a toll, explaining that he experiences ringing in his ears and pulsatile tinnitus, a condition that causes him to hear his heartbeat."I mean, it's like right now my ears are ringing like crazy, and I have pulsatile tinnitus, which is, I hear my heartbeat.
And we go into a restaurant, and it's just like, 'Well, I'm out,' because I can't hear anything because I hear all this noise and stuff.I'm sure people don't want to keep [repeating things] in my face … so just add tinnitus on top of that and it's impossible."Pulsatile tinnitus is a rare form of tinnitus that causes people to hear sounds, such as whooshing or thumping, in time with their heartbeat, according to the Cleveland Clinic.JOHN MELLENCAMP RIPS MODERN POLITICIANS FOR LACKING HUMILITY AND RESPECTMellencamp, 75, admitted that ringing in his ears and pulsatile tinnitus have made everyday activities increasingly difficult.
(Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)Despite his hearing difficulties, Mellencamp said he plans to continue performing.When asked whether he planned to keep touring, the musician predicted he could lose his hearing entirely by the time the concerts ended."Yeah, I probably will be totally deaf by the time the tour is ov...