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Every year at the beginning of February, there is a dedicated week to share tinnitus information and experiences in the hope of spreading awareness of tinnitus.
What is tinnitus awareness week?
The aim of tinnitus awareness week is purely to encourage discussions around tinnitus. It can be a truly debilitating disorder for sufferers and there is not enough awareness of it. Shockingly, 1 in 7 adults in the UK are affected by tinnitus.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be different things for different people. However, in general terms it is described as a ringing, buzzing or whooshing sound you hear when there are actually no external sounds. It can affect just one or both of your ears. Unfortunately, it can be uncomfortable and ultimately can affect your day to day life. Tinnitus is most common in adults and the elderly. It is so important to monitor your hearing and act on any such ringing before it gets worse.
The most common sound tinnitus sufferers report hearing is a ringing sound. The sound you hear can take so many different forms, but the thing that will remain the same is only you can hear the sound. The pitch and frequency of any tinnitus sounds varies wildly from person to person so it is important to give an accurate description to any hearing healthcare professional you seek advice from.
What are the effects of tinnitus?
Due to the uncomfortableness and irritability of tinnitus, the effects can be debilitating and include fatigue, stress, difficulty concentrating and carrying out tasks, sleep problems, headaches and depression. You can talk to an audiologist about masking the symptoms with specific hearing aids or tinnitus therapy. If your tinnitus is being caused by an underlying condition, then it is the condition that will need to be treated first and foremost.
Hearing aids can be programmed with specific tinnitus programs to help relieve the symptoms
The mental health effects of tinnitus can be very distressing for sufferers. A recent study at the end of 2023 found that out of the 478 participants, 1 in 5 experienced thoughts of suicide or self-harm in the previous 12 months. More than 80% of people reported feeling anxious and having a low mood. Over 85% of people reported that they experienced a disturbed sleep. The findings of the study clearly show that suffering with tinnitus can have a huge emotional toll on a person. It can affect your relationships resulting in social isolation. All of this is why it is so important that we start discussing tinnitus openly and honestly.
Book in for a tinnitus consultation with one of our friendly & knowledgeable audiologists
If you would like some further information, or to book in for a tinnitus consultation with one of our audiologists, please do get in touch.
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