Charity calls for more support for the 1 in 7 adults living with Tinnitus in the UK
It’s often described as “ringing in the ears”, although several sounds can be heard
Last updated 5th Feb 2024
A national charity is calling for more to be done to support the 1 in 7 adults living with Tinnitus in the UK
According to NHS Inform it’s often described as “ringing in the ears”, although several sounds can be heard.
Nic Wray from Stowmarket is part of Tinnitus UK's East of England branch.
She's told us new research shows the negative impact it's having on lives: "Tinnitus comes with a lot of impact on people's emotional well-being.
"That seems to be getting increasingly severe - with more people talking about low moods, depression, feelings of hopelessness, and thoughts about self-harm and suicide...
"People are telling us they're minimising their social activities, or they're facing difficulties at work.
"Two thirds of people tell us they're avoiding contact with their friends - that is a real worry for us, that people are finding they're just not able to live well."
Nic wants to see the time it takes to get help change, with 1 in 10 people experiencing tinnitus currently having to wait over a month for an appointment with their GP to discuss the condition: "Because of an ageing population, this number is only going to increase, because Tinnitus often comes along with age related hearing loss.
"We know people are waiting a lot longer than they previously were for the support they need...
"The longer people are struggling and suffering, the more it costs to the NHS and to society. There are already a million Tinnitus related GP appointments - and if people can't get the support they need, they'll return."
It's thought the condition is currently costing the NHS £750 million a year to treat.