Media Centre: an online resource for journalists
Tinnitus may not have been headline news in the past. Action for Tinnitus Research, its supporters and the many millions of sufferers across UK and throughout the world, think it should be.
These pages aim to provide a useful resource to help you find out more about tinnitus. Should you wish to interview someone from our organisation, require help sourcing a case study or require any further information, please don't hesitate in getting in touch with our media team.
- What is tinnitus?
- Facts and figures
- Background briefings
- Contact our press office
- Register to receive email press releases
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the sensation of a sound in the ear or head not produced by an external source. The sound can be of any pitch or type, continuous or intermittent. Tinnitus sounds can take a variety of forms such as buzzing, ringing, whistling, hissing or a range of other sounds. For some people it can even sound like music or singing. Sometimes people only notice these sounds when it is very quiet, such as at night. Other people find that they are much louder and can intrude on everyday life. Sometimes tinnitus noise beats in time with your pulse - this is known as pulsatile tinnitus.
Once investigations have taken place to establish that tinnitus isn't a symptom of any other condition, at present neither drugs nor surgery can cure or reduce tinnitus. Whilst tinnitus is rarely linked to any serious problem, unending loud noise in the head is often listed as the third worst of non-lethal medical conditions, after severe pain and total paralysis. Its common effects include insomnia, anxiety, stress, depression. Suicides are not unknown. It diminishes much social intercourse and wrecks careers or ambitions and for children it can badly interfere with normal education.
Facts and Figures
Research on tinnitus sufferers in the UK, undertaken by the MRC Institute of Hearing Research revealed that:
- About 10% of adults (4.7 million people) have experienced tinnitus for longer than five minutes. This figure does not include people who have had tinnitus for a short time after being exposed to a loud noise.
- About 5% of adults (2.3 million people) have tinnitus, which they find severely or moderately annoying.
- About 5% of adults (2.3 million people) have tinnitus, which makes it difficult for them to sleep.
- About 1% of adults (470,000 people) have tinnitus that has a severe effect on their quality of life
- About 0.5% of adults (230,000 people) have tinnitus which has a severe effect on their ability to lead a normal life.
- 7% of adults (3.3 million people) have been to see their doctor about tinnitus.
Source: MRC Institute of Hearing Research (48,000 postal questionnaires, and 3,200 respondents in clinics (Source: RNID factsheet)
Action For Tinnitus Research (Charity Number 1078378)� was formed in November 1999 with the support of many members of the tinnitus community and in response to a lack of well defined, co-ordinated and new scientific projects on tinnitus and related hearing disorders. The charity's commits itself to the funding of scientific and medical research with the support of investigative communities worldwide; the dissemination of results to the general public and the provision of awareness and educative information for the long-term benefit of all stakeholders and particularly for people with tinnitus and their families.
What Causes Tinnitus?� There are many different causes of tinnitus. Tinnitus is a symptom and not a disease. Tinnitus can be linked to exposure to loud noise, hearing loss, ear or head injuries, some diseases of the ear, ear infections or emotional stress. It can also be a side effect of medication or a combination of any of these things.
Can Tinnitus Be Treated?� Although there is currently no definitive cure for tinnitus, it is occasionally possible to treat the underlying condition that may be causing it. For example, if a sufferer has an ear infection, antibiotics may help clear this up, which may in turn also improve the tinnitus. However, if the tinnitus carries on there is no drug or operation that will get rid of it but there is help available and there are ways to manage it. White noise generators can help mask tinnitus and a hearing specialist may also suggest a hearing aid or behavior therapy. Mental or environmental quietness makes tinnitus more obvious so it's important to keep the mind occupied. It's important to take time out to relax - as stress can impact on tinnitus, relaxation tapes and CD's can help. Complementary therapies such as Hypnotherapy and Acupuncture may also provide relief.
Contact our media team
If you ant to know more about tinnitus and what Action for Tinnitus Research are doing about it...
Press enquiries
For all press enquiries, please contact Jon Gardner:
- phone 0114 275 6996
- mobile 07930 697773
- email [email protected]
