AM I GOING TO LOSE MY HEARING ALTOGETHER?

DEAR JENNIFER: I’ve had tinnitus for years. For the most part, it’s not been a problem, just a high-pitched buzz that seemed worse at night, probably because I was being quiet as I tried to get to ready for bed.

I could usually get to sleep okay — it was annoying sometimes but didn’t worry me. I just accepted that, for me, it was a normal thing.

Over the past few months though, it’s gotten much worse. Whereas before it was just on one pitch, now it jumps all over the place like an electronic wail.

Sometimes it’s like a low whistle, at other times a high pitch buzz. It’s become impossible to sleep properly and I am getting more and more tired and irritable.

I had a phone consultation with my

GP, who basically said that this kind of change in tinnitus probably meant I am going deaf and referred me to an Ear

Nose and Throat consultant.

She had no idea how long I am going to have to wait for that appointment though — and in the meantime, I am a mess.

I can’t concentrate on anything, and I am struggling at work.

My boss knows about it and has been understanding but she still expects me to meet my obligations.

My husband hasn’t been much help either. He even said on one occasion that I am making a fuss about nothing and I should ‘just chill’.

He got an angry backlash from me for that comment, but I am still so upset.

What can I do?

JENNIFER SAYS: Your husband’s comment was insensitive, and he probably deserved what he got. However, he might just have half a point about the tinnitus.

The exact cause of tinnitus is unknown, but there does seem to be an association with stress and anxiety.

So, if you could find ways to help you relax, it may be beneficial — and would help you cope with the worry until your referral comes through.

Other possible factors are Ménière’s disease, certain medical conditions like diabetes, certain medications, depression, and of course some form of hearing loss.

That’s probably why your GP has referred you to an ENT consultant.

Please note, however, these are just associations — there’s no evidence that they are definitely the cause of tinnitus.

Unfortunately, there’s no known cure for it and it has an annoying habit of just coming and going for no apparent reason, as I know all to well having lived with it myself for several years.

However, there are things you can do to help you cope better. The first of these must be to improve your sleep, as this is critical to health in so many ways. There’s plenty of material on the internet about establishing a good sleep routine.

Lack of sleep and stress feed off each other. When you can’t sleep, you are going to be stressed and the longer it goes on the more stressed out you become and the less sleep you get. It’s a vicious circle, so please consider adding some routines to your day that help reduce stress levels.

You could try yoga, meditation or perhaps just a gentle walk — anything that helps you to relax more.

Finally, if your husband wants to avoid another angry backlash, it might be a good idea if he looked at this material, too.