20 May 2016
Ringing, buzzing, whistling, hissing, humming or whooshing are just some of the expressions people use to describe the noise they may experience in their ears. What they may not know is that this is a medical condition called tinnitus.
Tinnitus is a sound in one or both of your ears which is not attributed to something happening around you. The noise can be constant or it can come and go.
For many people, tinnitus can have a serious impact on their lives, causing sleep disturbance and difficulty in concentrating.
Tinnitus can be caused by easily treatable conditions, such as ear infections or build-ups of wax, but it can also be linked to stress and hearing loss.
Also, frequent and prolonged exposure to loud noise increases the risk of tinnitus. If you work in a noisy environment, or have done in the past you are at risk of getting tinnitus. It can take some time for the symptoms to materialise, so you could experience tinnitus years after working in an excessively noisy environment.
Unfortunately, there is no medication or cure for tinnitus. However, over time, the noise can diminish or even disappear as the brain gets used to it and eventually ignores it. This process is known as ‘habituation’. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy is available to encourage this process.
If you think you have tinnitus, you should see your GP as you may need to be referred to an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist. By seeing your GP, medical conditions related to the tinnitus can be confirmed or ruled out which provides a basis for more specific tinnitus management, such as Tinnitus Retraining Therapy.
If you have tinnitus and you have worked in an excessively noisy environment, then you may be entitled to compensation. To see whether you have a claim, please contact our Industrial Disease team today on 01482 323697.
