Case Study - John Young
SWINDON MAN BACKS BID TO FIND TINNITUS CURE
John Young of Swindon, Wiltshire, survived a sub-arachnoid brain haemorrhage in 2002 but developed severe tinnitus as a result. The loud whistling and hissing noises he has in both ears never cease and the condition has had a huge impact on his everyday life. Tinnitus is something which he admits can drive him crazy and he remains hopeful of a cure one day being found.
Unfortunately, medical advice and assessments have been generally unhelpful and Mr Young, 67, has found some suggested therapies both ineffective and expensive. He is also sceptical about certain theories put forward by 'experts' in the field.
"At one point I was told the noises would be loudest in the morning as we were more alert to danger because of our animal past! As I was also told that a lot of tinnitus was caused by a reduction of blood flow through the hearing system, it seemed more likely to me that an increase in noise might be brought about by reduced blood pressure after lying down at night," he explained.
Mr Young is still prepared to try new techniques and devices in an effort to improve matters but in the meantime has had to learn to live with tinnitus day by day. He maintains a naturally positive attitude and is thankful that the consequences of the haemorrhage were not even worse. Keeping busy helps him to focus on the noises less but he can never really ignore them. Sleeping can also be very difficult and he uses the television or radio each night to provide a distraction.
"There really isn't much help available and certainly not enough awareness of the condition," said Mr Young. "I knew very little about it before my diagnosis and medical opinion seems to differ quite a lot about the underlying causes. I only hope that research might eventually lead to a cure - it can't come soon enough," he added.
The UK-based charity Action for Tinnitus Research focuses on funding medical and scientific research into the condition. Its operations director Nick Doughty said that raising awareness was an important part of its work in the pursuit of a cure. "It is estimated that over five million people in the UK are affected by tinnitus and it can have a devastating effect on their quality of life," he explained. "Not enough information is available about this complex condition and we are one of the few organisations determined to do something about it.� We are committed to funding leading edge research and providing practical information to health professionals for the benefit of sufferers," he added.
For more information on Action for Tinnitus Research, logon to the website at www.tinnitus-research.org, e-mail [email protected] or telephone
0115 925 4065
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