Case Study - Peter C Byron
SUFFOLK MAN STAYS POSITIVE IN FIGHT AGAINST TINNITUS
Peter C Byron of Haverhill, Suffolk, describes the noise he can hear 24 hours a day as a perpetual, loud, irritating racket. He also knows that the continuous, high-pitched whistle is in key F with a frequency of 5919kHz after he reproduced it using a sound generator. Learning to live with tinnitus has been a hard-fought battle but Peter relies on a resilient nature and a refusal to be beaten. His job working for a builders' merchant and a long list of interests keep him extremely busy which is how he copes with the condition day to day.
"I've had tinnitus for a long time but it got more intense a few years ago and I went to see a specialist. He was very understanding but unfortunately there is little in the way of treatment and certainly no magic cure as yet," he said.
Peter is sceptical about some of the 'expert' theories put forward about the causes and believes his condition was triggered by working with noisy machinery and a previous hobby of pistol shooting.� He now urges others to use ear protection in noisy environments to avoid suffering the same fate. "It's easy to get very depressed about the situation and it is difficult to deal with but you have to try not to let it get you down or rule your life," he said. "I've found it possible to ride the sound to some extent and things like switching on a water feature have helped. One of the worst things for me is never being able to have silence but I try not to worry about it too much."
Tinnitus often disrupts sleep and can be exacerbated by fatigue so many sufferers find themselves in a vicious circle. "I think dealing with it is very much a case of mind over matter," explained Peter. "As it's something that can't be seen or really understood by other people, it's difficult to empathise but you just have to cope the best way you can and keeping busy has been the most effective thing for me."
Peter, 48, suspects that a cure is still a long way away and is keen to support research into the causes and possible treatments. 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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