Tinnitus – a personal perspective

Tinnitus – a personal perspective

I was recently asked to do my talk on 'relaxation and stress-management' to a local tinnitus support group. This request has motivated me to explore what it means to have this condition. I know that my hearing is very important to me and on the rare occasion when my hearing had been affected by a heavy cold I'm aware of slight deafness and sounds that are not normally there. Fortunately after a few days I recover but this is not a case with many people. CW is one of these people. I met CW some time ago at a local allotment scheme where we are both members and this is what she says about living with this condition:-

“Thanks for asking me about tinnitus. I try not to think about it but it has been interesting putting these thoughts down. …..

I’ve lived with a sharp hissing in one ear for over 40 years, when I went completely deaf in my right ear, and a less sharp hiss in the other for about five years. I probably had ear problems since I was a baby because I had a lot of earache and a doctor found I was lip-reading at some point in my childhood. Up until I retired 10 years ago I was working and travelling and generally being more energetic than I am now so I probably didn’t notice the tinnitus as much as in recent years. I certainly notice the noise when I’m talking/writing about it, like now!! And I notice it at night when all is supposed to be silent.

I remember going to a self-help group in Sheringham about 25 years ago but I found that talking about tinnitus made me quite depressed so I decided not to go any more. I am an outgoing and optimistic person, and being active and having lots of interests helped, and still helps, distract from the noise. At home, I have the radio on, and I like to be outside, whatever the weather, in the garden, the city or on the allotment where there is low to medium background noise. Obviously loud noise is to be avoided. As we get older, hearing often deteriorates and the downside of being sociable is that hearing speakers and people I’m with, is now very hard work. I need to see someone’s face to hear properly and there mustn’t be background music or clatter, as in many cafes, for instance. Lots of people do not enunciate their words (you could say mumble!) and not only do I struggle to hear, but voices have to be sharp enough to override the tinnitus as well.

We can get ringing in our ears as a result of various things but there is no cure for tinnitus caused by ear damage, as far as I know. The brain develops coping strategies but I can only say that it’s important to get out and about, do things, keep busy and keep positive. While I can never experience the silence of mountains in winter, which is where I first realised I had bad tinnitus (I was working in Geneva), I can appreciate the sounds of nature whether in the garden or in the countryside of on the coast: wind in the trees, birdsong, water – these things make life enjoyable and well worth living”. (CW)