NNUH hearing specialist answers questions on Tinnitus

A hearing specialist from the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital will be answering questions about Tinnitus at an awareness event next week.

It is the British Tinnitus Association’s (BTA) Tinnitus Awareness Week from 8 to 14 February and the Norfolk Deaf Association (NDA) is holding the ‘T4 Tinnitus’ event at their premises on Thorpe Road in Norwich on Friday 12 February. The aim is to increase awareness of the condition, including prevention and management and to raise awareness of the Norfolk Deaf Association’s Tinnitus support group.

Tinnitus normally appears as a ringing, buzzing or other sound in the ears, accompanied by some loss of hearing. The main causes can be exposure to loud noise, age-related hearing loss, stress and trauma. The condition affects around 10% of the population and a drug trial for the condition is ongoing.

Chief Hearing Therapist at NNUH, Claire Gatenby, will be on hand to answer questions about the condition and Pam Spicer and Zoe Warnes from the NDA will be on hand to talk about the Tinnitus Support Group.

Claire said: “People don’t realise how loud noise can damage their hearing and cause tinnitus; just being exposed to a loud noise once, such as a very noisy gig can be enough to cause tinnitus and hearing damage.  Tinnitus can really affect a patient’s life if it becomes troublesome and persistent, and it can cause other problems such as anxiety, tension and disturbed sleep. There are some techniques patients can use to help manage their tinnitus and future events at the Tinnitus Support Group will highlight these.”

One of the main ways to prevent developing Tinnitus is to limit exposure to loud noise such as at nightclubs, gigs and festivals. One of the best ways to do this is to wear ear plugs when exposed to loud noise and the BTA’s Plug’em campaign encourages the use of ear protection.

The BTA’s Tinnitus Awareness Week is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

Notes to editors:

The event takes place from 11am – 1pm on Friday 12 February at:

Norfolk Deaf Association
120 Thorpe Road Norwich
NR1 1RT
01603 404440
tinnitus@norfolkdeaf.org.uk

There are two Tinnitus clinical trials happening at NNUH, to register interest for the AM101 or Tactt3 trial please speak with your consultant.

Monday 8th of February 2016 01:46:15 PM