Tinnitus has ruined my life, says Hull man
7 November 2008
Karl Holtby of Hull has had tinnitus for over a decade. For most of that time the noises in his ears were just a gentle, bearable buzzing, but he was still able to live his life normally. Karl barely noticed the condition until around twelve months ago when it took a turn for the worse and the noises in his ears suddenly became much louder for no apparent reason. Now the 34-year-old has been left to wrestle with an incurable condition which is seemingly impossible to treat.
“It gives me so many sleepless nights,” Karl says. “There’s not only the lack of sleep to deal with, but the feeling of sheer despair that goes hand in hand with tinnitus. It can be unbearable.”
Karl is a project engineer, but tinnitus has forced him to take time off work. “I have been utterly exhausted though lack of sleep. Thankfully my job isn’t too physical, or the tinnitus might have been even more of a hindrance,” Karl says. “My GP won’t give me sleeping pills as they are considered to be addictive. I have seen several ENT specialists and they all advise the same old relaxation methods which do help to a certain extent, but I am pretty much left to my own devices.”
Karl’s exhaustion also led to a decline in his fitness, as he rarely has the energy to continue his exercise regime. “Until twelve months ago, I was racing mountain bikes to a very high standard and training in the gym every day at 7am. All that fitness has gone now. I still have occasional good days, but that’s hard to live with - I’m used to feeling very strong and being 100% fit all of the time.”
Like many other sufferers of tinnitus, Karl finds himself avoiding going out, especially if he has had a bad week. He maintains that nobody can understand tinnitus unless they have experienced it at first-hand. “It is difficult to explain to people that haven't suffered from the effects and symptoms of tinnitus,” he says. “More awareness needs to be made of this most debilitating condition and more research undertaken.”
Commenting on Karl’s situation, Geraldine Oliver from the Deafness Research UK Information Service, said: “Karl seems typical of many people with tinnitus that, even having sought medical help, he still has not been offered treatments that should be available on the NHS. This bears out the findings of a Deafness Research UK survey in which we found that over three quarters (76%) of people who sought help from the NHS for their tinnitus had not received any of the generally accepted treatments.”
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: “Almost five 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.”
For more information on tinnitus and research into deafness and other hearing conditions, log on to the website at www.deafnessresearch.org.uk where you can access a wide range of information. People can call the Deafness Research UK freephone helpline on 0808 808 2222, or e-mail
About tinnitus
Tinnitus describes the noises that some people hear 'in their ears' or 'in their head'. These noises can take many forms, with descriptions ranging from whistling, humming, and tissue paper rustling to kettles boiling. Some people hear their noises as tunes and melodies. The common factor with all these sounds is that they do not originate from an external source. Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom - like an ache in one of your joints or itching for no reason. Nearly all the causes are benign and in many cases tinnitus is a natural part of the ageing process. But, as decibel levels in today's environment rise, tinnitus is affecting increasingly younger people. Noise is not the only cause of tinnitus, though can be a contributing or factor. Though more research needs to be carried out about the causes of tinnitus, medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and Basilar Artery Migraine are linked. A conservative estimate is that nearly fivemillion people in the UK are affected by tinnitus. For nearly 2½ million people - it has a significant effect on their quality of life and can be described as ‘moderately or severely annoying’. For around a quarter of a million of these people it severely affects their ability to lead a normal life, and can be incredibly debilitating – leading to sleep deprivation and a total loss of any normal social life.
About Deafness Research UK
- Deafness Research UK is the country’s only charity dedicated to finding new cures, treatments and technologies for deaf, hard of hearing and other hearing impaired people.
- The charity supports high quality medical research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all forms of hearing impairment including tinnitus.
- The Deafness Research UK Information Service provides free information and advice based on the latest scientific evidence and informed by leading experts. The Information Service can be contacted on Freephone 0808 808 2222
- For more information on research into deafness, tinnitus and other hearing conditions, log on to the website at www.deafnessresearch.org.uk where you can access a wide range of information. Alternatively you can e-mail Deafness Research UK at
- One in seven people in the UK – almost nine million people - suffer hearing loss.
- Deafness Research UK was founded in 1985 by Lord (Jack) and Lady Ashley of Stoke.
- In January 2008, Action for Tinnitus Research (ATR) was linked with Deafness Research UK under a uniting direction order under Section 96 (6) of the Charities Act 1993.
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Ref: DRUK0071 – Karl Holtby
