A research report published by Tinnitus UK as part of its campaign for Tinnitus Awareness Week showed that loud noise exposure is thought to be one of the leading causes of tinnitus.

Over a third of the 750 people surveyed believed their condition was triggered this way, which could mean that 2.7 million adults in the UK live with tinnitus that has been set off by loud noise.

Any noise above 80dB poses a risk to your hearing and there is legislation in place to ensure that in a working environment, hearing protection is provided at 85dB or above. Sadly, there is no such legal consideration for any other environment, and only between 8% and 29% use hearing protection day to day.

That’s why the charity is calling for people to:

• Always wear appropriate hearing protection when in a loud place, and working with loud equipment
• Avoid being exposed to excessive noise for long periods
• Replace hearing protection if it is worn or damaged
• Have their hearing checked regularly.
  
  

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus affects 7.6 million people in the UK – with 1.5 million of them having severe tinnitus.

Tinnitus is different for every person, but people tend to experience the sensation of hearing a sound when there is no source for that sound. For some it comes and goes, for others it is a permanent state, and it can range from hearing a specific sound repeatedly to hearing sounds like ringing, buzzing, hissing or whistling.

Overwhelmingly, the people who took part in Tinnitus UK’s survey described their tinnitus as ‘continuous’ with 9 out of 10 living with the noise 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The report demonstrated the negative impact it can have on people’s lives and their mental health, with 9.3% of respondents reporting thoughts of suicide or self-harm in the last two years.

In addition to the challenges of living with tinnitus, almost two-thirds of those surveyed (62%) were also living with hearing loss.

Can tinnitus be managed?

Living with tinnitus can be very difficult and people try and manage their tinnitus in different ways. There is no known cure for tinnitus and though there are treatment options available, their effectiveness is variable.

Some people find white noise or gentle sounds like waves crashing on a shore to be soothing, and there are hearing instruments on the market capable of providing these. There are also more targeted technologies available, such as Notch Therapy developed by Signia, which works to retrain your brain to reduce the prominence of tinnitus sounds over time, or Widex’s SoundRelax program, which offers a range of fractal sounds proven to help relieve the effects of tinnitus.

What can people do to protect themselves?

Noise exposure is thought to be the single biggest cause of tinnitus but the good news is that hearing damage can be prevented. We live busy lives and it is easy to be exposed to noisy situations without realising the risks, or perhaps without considering the potential impact of future damage.

Four out of ten people who answered the Tinnitus UK survey (39%) and said they were exposed to noise at work never used hearing protection and only a quarter (24%) always or sometimes used hearing protection.

The issue goes beyond work environments, too – live music events, nightclubs, cinemas, and even prolonged proximity to sirens like those used on emergency vehicles can have an impact on our hearing, and we must become more adept at wearing protection.

Paul Surridge, Chairman of BIHIMA, said: “We know from research that noise intensifies the louder it gets, and a small increase in volume can mean a large increase in intensity, which is not good news for your hearing. This report from Tinnitus UK shows there is still a lot to do to educate people about the long-term effects of hearing damage and all of us in the hearing industry have a part to play in that process.

“When its sunny, people put on sunglasses to protect their eyesight, and we need to get to a point where people take the same precautions for their hearing. Small actions such as taking frequent breaks from loud noise, wearing ear protection, and staying hydrated can all make a difference, so although you can’t always avoid a loud environment, it’s important to be aware that you can still take steps to ensure your hearing is protected.”