London musician pays the price with his hearing
10 July 2008
Chelone Wolf is one of the estimated nearly five million people to suffer from tinnitus in the UK. To most of us, four years does not sound like a long time, but as Chelone and many other sufferers would agree, any number of years with tinnitus is a prolonged agony. The 30-year-old musician and company director hears a ‘random, high-pitched beeping sound’ in his ears, which is worse in quiet situations and at night time.
Chelone finds that even his mood can affect the tinnitus; it tends to get louder when he is stressed. Being a musician, Chelone finds the symptom particularly irksome to live with.
“Having tinnitus has meant that I have to wear special musicians’ earplugs when performing or going to noisy events. If I don’t wear them, I often have to leave venues as it becomes uncomfortable,” says Chelone.
Like many other musicians, Chelone believes his tinnitus is due to repeated exposure to loud music. Other well-known sufferers of the condition include Pete Townshend, Barbra Streisand and Sting. He is concerned that more and more young people are beginning to develop tinnitus too, due to loud music. In a survey conducted by the charity Deafness Research UK and Specsavers Hearing Centres, over a third of all 16-34 year olds admitted listening to their MP3 player for more than an hour a day and 14% listened for more than 28 hours a week. It also showed that 54% of people did not realise that listening to loud music on an MP3 player, in a nightclub or at a concert could damage your hearing.
Chelone has had little comfort in the wake of his tinnitus. “My doctor could not provide any real treatment. I’m not sure what research is currently being undertaken, but it seems that there needs to be more action taken to help find solutions.”
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: “Nearly 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,” she added.
Deafness Research UK has produced a useful guide called ‘Managing Tinnitus’. To receive a copy telephone 0808 808 2222 or email . For information on research into deafness and other hearing conditions, log on to the website, www.deafnessresearch.org.uk.
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Ref: DRUK0056 - Chelone Wolf
