Rachael Nugent of Bury in Lancashire has suffered from tinnitus for six long years. Countless visits to doctors and experimenting with different treatments have left her no better than before; she still has the same loud ‘whooshing’ noise in her ears. "It’s sort of in time with my heartbeat, and some days it is much louder than others, although there doesn’t seem to be any pattern to it," says Rachael, 30.
The unpredictability of Rachael’s tinnitus means that it has affected everything in her life, from her career to her love of the theatre. She now has a very busy job as a personal assistant, a role which provides a distraction from her tinnitus. Her last job was in a very quiet environment which, ironically, made it difficult for her to concentrate. About her social life, Rachael says, "I never go to the cinema anymore as it is too hard to concentrate on the film. The theatre is also very difficult, but I still go as it is a passion. However it can be very upsetting when I can’t focus on the play."
Even going on holiday offers no pleasure. "Holidays are futile as it’s just too hard to relax - I constantly need a TV, radio or iPod on for background noise. I can’t even read as much as I used to. I only read at night now, and sometimes I have to force myself not to give in and put the book down."
After an initial referral to the ENT department and seeing a number of different doctors, Rachael still feels disheartened by the lack of help given by the NHS for tinnitus sufferers."
One doctor was distinctly unhelpful and disinterested and also said my weight might be a factor.
I have since lost the excess weight but it has made no difference to the tinnitus at all. A doctor at another hospital was a lot nicer but ultimately told me that there was nothing they could do."
Rachael was eventually offered white noise therapy which was unsuccessful. She has also tried a masker in the form of a speaker pillow which produces a low-level sound to counteract the tinnitus noise in order to promote sleep. But this has not worked well either. She visited an acupuncture clinic, where she was told that she had had tinnitus for too long for the treatment to work, and she has even visited a hypnotherapist, but found this to be of no help either. Something that has been beneficial to Rachael is counselling. It has helped in dealing with her anger about tinnitus, a side effect that can be as damaging as the symptom itself. However, she had to pay for this privately as it was not available on the NHS in her area.
With regards to those who haven’t experienced tinnitus, Rachael pleads, "If you have a loved one who has tinnitus, please make a real effort to remember they are going through hell. In my experience, friends just forget that you have it, because it’s not a symptom you can see.
"On a positive note, my mum, dad and sister have all been wonderful and I would have gone under without them."
Deafness Research UK is the country's only charity dedicated to finding new cures, treatments and technologies for the deaf, hard of hearing and other hearing impaired people including tinnitus sufferers.
Vivienne Michael, Chief Executive of Deafness Research UK, said: "Over six million people in the UK are affected by tinnitus and it can have a devastating effect on their quality of life. Not enough is known about this very complex condition and we are determined to do something about it. We are committed to funding leading edge research and providing practical information to health professionals for the benefit of sufferers," she added.
‘Deafness Research UK has produced a useful guide called ‘Managing Tinnitus’. To receive a copy telephone 0808 808 2222 or email info@deafnessresearch.org.uk. For information on research into deafness and other hearing conditions, log on to the website, www.deafnessresearch.org.uk
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Ref: DRUK0051 - Rachael Nugent
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