Tinnitus Awareness Week: The Effects

Tinnitus Awareness Week 2014 will be running fro3-9 February and aims to help the public develop an understanding of the affects that Tinnitus can have on an individuals life.

Tinnitus is defined as any sound that a person can hear within their body rather than from an external source, it can manifest in a number of forms but is well known as a constant “ringing in the ears”. This can have a significant effect on a person’s life, often causing lack of sleep and making concentration very difficult. There is no known cure for Tinnitus, making research into the ailment increasingly important. Medical research on the subject has been surprisingly under reported for problem that affects around 1 in 10 people in the UK.

The story of Helen Gilbert has recently highlighted the dangers of sustained periods of loud music and the effects it can have on your hearing. Helen woke up “the morning after” with a maddening, high pitched din in her ears that wasn’t budging. This has since been diagnosed as tinnitus, now well into her thirties the clubbing days of her mid twenties are a distant memory, but the product of this indulgance still remains.

Raising the profile of Tinnitus is important in encouraging conversation about the condition, this will in turn encourage sufferers to become more involved in the discussions. There is a multitude of avenues for help and support that need to be expressed clearly in order to attract individuals to utilise the services. In a survey conducted by the BTA, it was discovered that 77% of participants had consulted their GP about Tinnitus, but only 13% were told about the BTA on doing so. Tinnitus Awareness Week aims to develop understanding of the problems people face living with a hearing problem, although it is often not linked with permanent deafness, the side effects can be equally as traumatic.

Hospitals across the UK have been supporting the event this week by displaying information about the condition, also local tinnitus support groups will be holding events countrywide.

This issue is becoming more and more relevant as the volume is turned up in daily life, you can learn more about the problems faced by those suffering from hearing loss with NCC Home Learnings Deaf Awareness Course.