Living With Tinnitus

Living 

with 

tinnitus 

Helpline 0800 018 0527 

Text/SMS 07531 416841 

Web tinnitus.org.uk 

Email helpline@tinnitus.org.uk 

R00230 - TUK - Living With Tinnitus - 24pp A5 (V9).indd 1 11/01/2023 14:12

What is 

tinnitus? 

Tinnitus is the perception of 

noises in the head and/or the 

ears which have no external 

source. It is not a disease 

or illness; it is a symptom 

generated within the 

auditory system. 

The noise may be in one or 

both ears, or in the head, or 

it may be difficult to pinpoint 

its exact location. The noise 

may be low, medium or high 

pitched. There may be 

a single noise or two or more 

components. The noise may 

be continuous or it may 

come and go. 

Who gets 

tinnitus? 

Everyone can - regardless of age 

Tinnitus is especially common 

after you’ve been exposed 

to loud noises. 


1 in 7 

adults in 

the UK have 

persistent 

tinnitus 


What causes 

tinnitus? 

It is not clear what causes tinnitus but it can 

be associated with: 

Hearing loss 

The delicate hair cells in the inner ear may reduce 

in number due to ‘wear and tear’ as people age. 

This gradual change can cause hearing loss, 

which makes tinnitus more noticeable as it is 

not masked by external sound. 

Ear Infections 

Middle ear infections can cause hearing loss 

and tinnitus. Symptoms will normally be 

temporary, but it is important to have 

the underlying infection treated by a GP. 

Stress and anxiety 

It is not always clear whether stress causes 

the onset of tinnitus. However, tinnitus may be 

more noticeable if you are anxious or stressed. 

Exposure to loud noise 

Hair cells can also be damaged by exposure 

to loud noise, which could generate tinnitus. 



Find your 

silence 

Tinnitus is rarely an 

indication of a serious 

disorder, but it is wise to see 

your doctor if you think you 

have it. Your GP will be able 

to refer you to specialist 

Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) 

and Audiology services. 

An ENT specialist will take 

a medical history from 

you, perform a clinical 

examination and arrange 

for any tests, such as 

hearing tests. You should 

then be referred to the 

Audiology service for help 

in managing your tinnitus. 

There are several 

strategies that 

can be very helpful 

in managing 

the condition. 

tinnitus.org.uk 


• Information: 

Finding out more about the condition - especially that it is 

very common and that you are not alone - can make you 

feel better. 

• Counselling: 

Techniques such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) 

can be helpful, either as a standalone therapy or combined 

with sound therapy. 

• Correcting any hearing loss: 

If your tinnitus is accompanied by any hearing loss, then 

trying to correct this loss with hearing aids is often very 

helpful. 

• Sound therapy: 

If the noises seem louder at quiet times, such as at night, 

it may help to have some environmental or natural sound 

from an app, a CD, a sound generator, or even a fan or 

ticking clock in the background. Some people use in-ear 

sound generators. 

• Relaxation: 

Learning to relax is probably one of the most useful things 

you can do to help yourself. Those who practice relaxation 

techniques say they reduce the loudness of their tinnitus 

and help them become indifferent to it. 

• Mindfulness: 

Mindfulness is a form of meditation that is all about learning 

to pay attention to our experience in a specific way. It has 

been proven to make tinnitus less intrusive, to a point 

where it is no longer a problem for people. 


How can 

we help? 


Our vision is a world 

where no one suffers with 

tinnitus. That is a powerful 

statement and one we 

believe is achievable. 

It is achievable now to 

an extent, in that there 

are management tools 

and methods available to 

enable many not to ‘suffer’. 

Support available: 

However, we also want to 

find better ways to manage 

tinnitus – and a cure. 

We offer support and 

information to people with 

tinnitus - and their friends, 

family and carers – in a 

number of different ways. 

• Helpline 

• Web chat 

• Email support 

• Website 

• Information 

leaflets 

• SMS chat 

• Take on Tinnitus 

• Tinnitus support groups 

• Online workshops 

• Webinars 

Read on to find the right ones for you! 


Our Tinnitus 

Support Team 

We speak to nearly 13,000 

people every year - on the 

phone, via web chat or 

by email - and offer them 

support, advice and help. 

Our Tinnitus Support 

Team can give you clear 

information about tinnitus, 

signpost you to local 

support services, and offer 

you empathy, understanding 

and hope. 

Our team of experienced and 

trusted advisers talk 

to people with tinnitus year 

round. No question is 

too big or small for us 

to answer. 

Please note although 

we have an in-depth 

knowledge of tinnitus, 

we are not medically 

qualified, so we aren’t able 

to give medical advice. 


I can’t thank you 

enough for being 

there, I was ready 

to give up. 

Helpline 0800 018 0527 

Text/SMS 07531 416841 

Email helpline@tinnitus.org.uk 

Webchat tinnitus.org.uk 

Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm 

excluding bank holidays 


Our website 

tinnitus.org.uk 

We are the most 

comprehensive source of 

tinnitus information 

on the internet. 

There are sections 

on tinnitus support, 

understanding tinnitus, 

reviews of tinnitus 

treatments, updates on 

tinnitus research, events 

specifically looking at 

tinnitus, a tinnitus clinic 

finder and many ways for 

you to join us in the fight 

against tinnitus. 

Our website is designed 

to work on all types 

of devices, including 

smartphones and tablets. 

So up-to-date, reliable 

tinnitus information 

can always be at your 

fingertips. 

Our website is 

visited by over 

1.3 million 

people every year 


Our information 

leaflets 

We have an extensive range of leaflets on living with 

tinnitus and related conditions, including leaflets 

for children. 

We offer them in large print, and four of our leaflets are 

in Easy Read format with simple text and illustrations. 

Our leaflets are written by experts and are rigorously 

checked and assessed to make sure that our information 

is clear, accurate and up-to-date. 

Our Tinnitus Support Team can give 

you details of the range, or they can 

be downloaded from our website 

tinnitus.org.uk. 


Take on 

Tinnitus 

takeontinnitus.co.uk is our free tinnitus 

e-learning programme. It will guide you through 

some facts about tinnitus and help you with 

some simple strategies to keep it under control. 


Developed with tinnitus experts and e-learning specialists, 

takeontinnitus.co.uk starts with an initial taster session 

and then has seven learning modules covering: 

• The fundamentals of tinnitus 

• Hearing and tinnitus 

• Benefits of using sound 

• Tinnitus and relaxation 

• Sleep and tinnitus 

• The benefits of talking about it 

• Living your life with tinnitus 

Each module takes just 10 to 15 minutes to complete 

and includes a range of interactive exercises, video clips 

and self-tests. 

I really love the 

Take on Tinnitus website, 

it’s a brilliant resource. 


Support 

Forum 

Our online forum is available 24 hours a day, seven days 

a week to enable you to talk to others with tinnitus. 

Forum members understand what you are going through 

and can help support you through the bad times – 

and will celebrate with you on the good days! 

healthunlocked.com/TinnitusUK 

Support Groups 

We have around 110 active support groups around the 

country. We also offer free online tinnitus support groups. 

To find one for you, visit our website 

tinnitus.org.uk/groups 

Many people find that the personal contact and sharing 

experiences with others living with tinnitus very useful. 


Events and webinars 

Our tinnitus information events aim to reduce 

stress, confusion and isolation, improve wellbeing 

and enable you to cope with your tinnitus better. 

We offer events in different formats, 

including online workshops and webinars. 

They are led by tinnitus experts, and cover 

topics such as tinnitus management, mindfulness 

and helping you prepare for your appointment. 

For details of our future events, see tinnitus.org.uk 

I got so much more from today 

than from any other medical 

professional. 

Knowing that I am not alone 

and have the support of people I 

have never met but who care! 


Tackling 

tinnitus 

together 

Your support funds our 

vital support services and 

worldwide research to find 

a cure for tinnitus. 

Each year we help more than 

1.5 million people across the 

world to cope with the daily 

struggle of living with tinnitus. 

And, as you read this guide, 

teams from King’s College 

London to the Macquarie 

University in Australia are 

conducting potentially 

life-changing research 

funded by Tinnitus UK into 

tinnitus in both children 

and adults. 

We receive no direct 

government or NHS funding. 

Each year, we rely on our 

generous supporters to raise 

the £1 million we need to 

keep our vital work going. 


Our work has the power 

to change lives: 

• Campaigning for change 

We’re pressing the Department of Health and Social 

Care to fund essential research into tinnitus 

and hearing loss. 

• Supporting GPs and Audiologists 

We educate healthcare professionals and audiology 

specialist on the impact of tinnitus - which can often 

be trivialised. 

• Delivering hope 

We’re pushing for a Tinnitus Biobank in the UK 

which could be the next step to finding a cure. 

To keep this fight going - we need your support. 

Please donate today at tinnitus.org.uk/donate 

or by calling 01142 509933. 

Thank you. 


Membership 

Our members are at 

the heart of everything 

we do 

Our members provide us with outstanding support and play a 

key role in everything we do. By becoming 

a member, you can ensure no-one faces tinnitus alone. 

Membership means you become part of a mutually supportive 

community, as well as being the first to find out about the latest 

tinnitus research. You’ll also receive some great membership 

benefits for just £20 a year. 


Member benefits: 

• Our exclusive membership magazine, Quiet 

• The chance to have your say and vote for our trustees 

• Our monthly e-newsletter, Focus 

• A variety of discounts on products for tinnitus 

• 2 free webinars and a £5 webinar library discount 

• New members also receive a free gift to help 

focus the mind 

For more information about our membership 

Visit us at tinnitus.org.uk/membership 

Email us at info@tinnitus.org.uk 

Call us on 0114 250 9933 


It does 

get better 

Studies have shown that, over time, in most 

cases tinnitus disappears completely or the 

noises reduce to a manageable level as the 

brain loses interest and stops listening for 

the signal. This is called habituation. 

The time this takes varies from person 

to person – but it does happen! 



Ground Floor, Unit 5, 

Acorn Business Park, 

Woodseats Close, 

Sheffield S8 0TB 

How we 

can help: 

Version 5.0 Issued January 2023. 

To be reviewed by January 2026. © Tinnitus UK 

Registered charity no: 1011145 | Registered in England 

Company limited by guarantee no: 2709302.

Living With Tinnitus

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