Case Study - Graham Warner

RHYDYFELIN MAN WARNS OF NOISE DANGERS

Graham Warner of Rhydyfelin in Mid Glamorgan lives with the torment of tinnitus 24 hours a day and it has a devastating impact on his life. The now unrelenting sounds in both ears began during his Royal Navy career in the1960s and 70s when exposure to excessive noise was commonplace and hearing protection almost non-existent.

The onset of Meniere's disease about seven years ago exacerbated the problem significantly and Graham uses a masker to fool the brain into identifying other noises instead. The device has been of some help but has its limitations and he is currently awaiting a digital hearing aid which he hopes will prove more effective.

Graham, 56, works as a senior environmental health and safety technician for Dow Chemicals�- a manufacturer that takes hearing protection very seriously. He feels strongly that other manufacturers�- and governments�- should follow suit and make the issue a much higher priority. "Everyone knows about the dangers of smoking, drinking and drugs but there are no warnings about the effects of noise," he explained. "Having lived with this for nearly 30 years, I think there should be some positive action to prevent it in the first place. It may not be a condition that could kill you but I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

He is particularly concerned that future generations will suffer the same fate unnecessarily. "A campaign to reduce noise really shouldn't be too difficult��- noise after all isn't an addiction," he pointed out. Graham believes that warning people of the risk factors, preferably beginning in schools, would make a big difference. "Young people who regularly listen to loud music for example have no idea of the problems they could be storing up for the future and it saddens me that people will continue to develop noise-induced tinnitus and hearing loss when it could be prevented. In my experience, it's not always taken seriously enough but it would be nice to think that a cure might one day be found or at least some way in which to make it more bearable," he added. In the meantime, Graham tries to focus on other things by keeping busy with work, family and pastimes. He also follows his own advice of protecting his remaining hearing��- advice that wasn't available to him when it mattered most.

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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