Case Study - Mary Stamp

NORTHAMPTON WOMAN HIGHLIGHTS AN 'INVISIBLE' SYMPTOM

Mary Stamp of Northampton, first experienced tinnitus after working in a small, noisy office where printers were operating close to her desk for several hours each day.

The symptom began with hissing and ticking sounds in her left ear which grew gradually worse causing her constant worry and stress. She found it difficult to work and was suffering so badly that she eventually took sick leave from her job as an accommodation officer and secretary.

An audiology specialist discovered that the hearing in her left ear had deteriorated and she then endured further anguish when an initial MRI scan detected an abnormality. Thankfully a second one produced normal results and her GP agreed that Mary's working environment was a contributing factor and advised her employer that she should be moved to a quieter office. Although attempts were made for Mary to work in a room away from the machinery, her problems continued and she sometimes felt as if a siren was sounding inside her head.

Now retired, Mary, 60, finds the noises less noticeable but says her quality of life has certainly been affected. She tries to avoid loud places and finds that everyday things like traffic and motorway driving intensify the problem.
She tried using a tinnitus masker for a time but didn't find it effective and instead practises meditation and listens to classical music played quietly as a way of relieving stress.

Mary also attended a local support group for people with tinnitus when she was still working and found the advice and shared experiences very helpful. "There were speakers on different topics each week such as homeopathy and diet and the group was extremely supportive," she said. "We also saw a video on tinnitus retraining therapy but there are not many hospital trusts that have the facility on offer."

Seven years on, Mary is painfully aware that the tinnitus is here to stay and in all that time she has only had a momentary respite when it briefly disappeared after her ears were syringed. "It was like a ton weight being lifted off my head but the noises came back within minutes," she said.

Mary, who also has arthritis, is now a member of a local long-term heath support group that aims to raise awareness of chronic medical conditions. It helps people learn to cope better with their problems and works with health professionals to give them an insight into the experiences of sufferers. "I had never even heard of tinnitus until I was diagnosed with it and, like with other ongoing conditions, education and working together must be the best way forward," she added.

The UK-based charity Action for Tinnitus Research focuses on funding medical and scientific research in pursuit of a cure and raising awareness is a key part of its work. Operations director Nick Doughty said: "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. Not enough information is available about the very complex symptom 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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