TINNITUS: HOW TO MANAGE IT
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IF YOU DEVELOP ‘PULSATILE TINNITUS’ – A REGULAR BEATING NOISE IN TIME WITH ’’ YOUR PULSE – SEE YOUR DOCTOR
Tinnitus – noises you hear that aren’t caused by sounds coming from outside your head – affects up to 1 in 8 UK adults, or over 7 million people. Most people don’t find it too troubling, but for about 1 in 10 people with tinnitus, it has a huge impact on their qqualityy of life.
Tinnitus is thought to be related to how your hearing nerves recognise sound and how that’s interpreted by your brain – often there’s no obvious cause. If you have other symptoms along with it, this can be a clue as to what’s at the root of the problem.
For instance, Meniere’s di isease leads to a co ombination of hearing lo oss, tinnitus and ve ertigo (dizziness with a sp pinning sensation). This T typically starts in your y 40s or 50s with attacks a of symptoms that t can last half an hour h to several hours. You Y may also feel or be sick and may feel unsteady on your feet for a day or two afterwards. These attacks can come in clusters over a few days or every few months. They usually settle on their own but this can take some years – a few people develop permanent hearing problems or tinnitus. Depending on how often the attacks come, they can be treated with tablets or, in severe cases, with surgery.
Noise exposure is a common cause of tinnitus – this could be a single very loud noise or regular exposure over years. It’s one of the many reasons I advise all my patients to wear protectors in noisy environments – even if you’re mowing the lawn or using power tools regularly at home. Ear wax can also lead to tinnitus if it’s not cleared.
Tinnitus often starts at the same time you develop age-related hearing loss. That may be because your brain is trying to compensate for stimulation it’s no longer getting. The good news is that hearing aids can often solve the problem. And since untreated hearing loss is linked to anxiety, social isolation, depression, falls and even slowing of your mental faculties, it’s always important to get your hearing checked if you have problems.
For many people, changes to their surroundings can make a big difference. For instance, if you can avoid very quiet surroundings, you may not notice the tinnitus as much or at all. Alternative sounds – TV or radio on in the background or even leaving a
window open to listen to outside sounds – can help. Tinnitus is often worse at night, so a radio (ideally with a timer) can help you drop off.
If you’re severely affected, these measures may not be enough. Referral to a specialist clinic can offer a variety of options. The pandemic has seen changes in healthcare. At the start of the first wave over a year ago, GPs were ordered to close their doors and screen everyone before they were seen to reduce the risk of vulnerable patients being infected. Hospitals stopped all non-Covid services to gear up for the anticipated influx of patients. Many patients were too scared to attend hospital even if they did need it, for fear of catching the infection.
The NHS learnt a lot from this first wave – waiting times for non-emergency services
soared and every effort was made to stop other services being affected by a second wave. Unfortunately the second wave was worse than the first and many hospitals were simply unable to keep routine services going.
Specialist care for people with tinnitus was one such casualty. According to the British Tinnitus Association, the number of people with tinnitus referred for specialist treatment dropped by 22%. That’s despite new National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance stressing the importance of referrals for people who are severely affected.
As life gradually gets back to normal, let’s hope that will change – do speak to your GP if your tinnitus is distressing. NEXT WEEK: Worried about a mole?