Quiet - Issue 3 2021

QUIET 

Issue Three 2021 

QUIET 2021 Issue Three www.tinnitus.org.uk 1

Thank you to our Corporate Members for their support 

AfterShokz 

Autifony Therapeutics 

Limited 

CAuRES Hearing 

Aid Solutions 

EarDial 

Hear Pure and 

Wellbeing 

HiKent 

The 

Hearing 

Coach 

Harbeth 

Audio Ltd 

Lakeland 

Hearing 

Nuheara 

RNID 

Snugs 

Earphones Ltd 

Tinnitus 

E-Programme 

East Kent University 

Hospitals NHS 

Foundation Trust 

Royal Hallamshire 

Hospital 

(Sheffield Teaching Hospitals 

NHS Foundation Trust) 

Always Ear 

Better 

Hearing 

Clinic 

Chippendale 

Hearing 

Geraint Davies 

Hearing Ltd 

Hear Again 

Limited 

Hear We Care 

Holland 

Doctors of 

Audiology 

Leightons 

Opticians and 

Hearing Care 

Oticon 

Scrivens Hearing 

Care 

Sonova UK 

Limited 

The Invisible 

Hearing 

Clinic 

Widex UK Ltd 

Gloucestershire 

Hospitals NHS 


Sandwell and West 

Birmingham Hospitals 

NHS Trust 

AngliEAR Hearing & 

Tinnitus Solutions 

Bollington Hearing 

Centre 

Cubex Ltd 

Guymark UK 

Limited 

Hearbase 

I am Ear 

Hearwell 

Ltd 

M C Hearing 

Oto Health Ltd 

Simply Hearing 

Sound Matters 

The Outside Clinic 

Hospital 

services 

Nobles Hospital 

Isle of Man 

Torbay and South 

Devon NHS 


Audiological 

Science 

British 

Academy 

of Audiology 

Diane 

Hammond 

Independent 

Audiologist 

Halo 

Hearing 

Solutions 

Hearing 

Power 

Help in 

Hearing Ltd 

Isabella Fisher 

Independent 

Hearing Care 

Neuromod 

Devices Ltd 

Peter Byrom 

Audiology Ltd 

Sivantos Ltd 

Specsavers 

The Tinnitus 

and 

Hyperacusis 

Network 

Barnsley Hospital NHS 


Royal Berkshire NHS 


University Hospitals 

Bristol and Weston 

NHS Foundation Trust 

Audiological 

Specialist 

Care Ltd 

British Society 

of Audiology 

Duearity 

Harley Street 

Hearing 

Hearing Therapy 

Ltd 

Hidden Hearing 

Isle of Man 

Hearing Solutions 

North East 

Hearing and 

Balance 

Puretone Ltd 

Smiths 

Hearing 

Care Ltd 

Starkey Hearing 

Technologies 

The 

Tinnitus 

Clinic 

Chesterfield Royal 

Hospital NHS 


Royal Cornwall NHS 


Worcestershire Acute 

Hospitals NHS Trust

Supporters 02 

Thank you to our Corporate Members 

Managing tinnitus 08 

Evolution not revolution - tinnitus 

management and technology 

Getting #BacktoLive 

Getting the most from your ENT 

appointment 

Fundraising 18 

Support the BTA and challenge 

yourself 

Real lives 20 

Andrew, Sash, Andrea and Paul share 

their stories of living with tinnitus 

Tinnitus support 25 

Products for tinnitus 

Noticeboard 

Tinnitus support group listings 

QUIET 

Volume 32 Number 3 ISSN: 0968-1264 

Xmas appeal 04 

How you can help people like Lynette 

Conference report 06 

The BTA Virtual Annual Conference 

Research 13 

The Shapiro Prize winner announced 

Tinnitus and tinnitus disorder 

For professionals 16 

Treating young people with tinnitus 

Don't throw away the wrapper! The wrapper for your magazine is 

now compostable with your garden waste. 

Contacts 

Our Vision: 

A world where no one suffers from tinnitus. 

Our Mission: 

We will drive progress towards a cure and deliver 

excellent support to help people living with tinnitus. 

tinnitus.org.uk 

Editor 

Nic Wray 

nic@tinnitus.org.uk 

Address 

British Tinnitus Association, Ground Floor, Unit 5, Acorn 

Business Park, Woodseats Close, Sheffield, S8 OTB 

Registered charity no: 1011145. Registered in England. 

Helpline 

0800 018 0527 

Whilst the British Tinnitus Association (BTA) makes every attempt to ensure the accuracy and reliability of information in this 

magazine, it is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always see your GP/ medical professional. Advertisements for 

organisations, products or services do not imply endorsement of them by the BTA. All views are those of the authors and not the BTA.

LYNETTE’S 

CHRISTMAS 

WISH 

www.tinnitus.org.uk/christmasappeal 

I am writing this article to say thank you. 

Thank you for your continued support 

of the British Tinnitus Association. Your 

ongoing support meant the BTA could 

help more people like me when they 

needed it most. 

For me, that time was Christmas. My name is Lynette and I know 

Christmas can be a difficult time for many. For those living with 

tinnitus it can be a time of isolation, stress and anxiety. I wanted 

to share my tinnitus story with you and let you know how the BTA 

were there for me. 

My story 

Christmas 2020 was a particularly turbulent 

and traumatic time for me: my tinnitus had 

heightened to a point where I’d not slept for 

three nights solid. I went to work one day, 

and I didn’t know who or where I was. I just 

felt like I was at crisis point and having a 

nervous breakdown. 

It was only then that I realised I needed additional support from all the 

professionals that had helped me when I was first diagnosed with 

tinnitus and hearing loss. Particularly the BTA, because they are the 

professionals in dealing with this and the unknowns associated with 

tinnitus. They were really helpful and supportive. 

I had to take time off work to recover but realised during that time that I 

needed to do my own self-help, and with the BTA’s support, I was able to 

manage better and I haven’t been at crisis point since December 2020. 

14,000 

Around 14,000 calls, web 

chats, emails and texts are 

answered each year by the 

Tinnitus Support Team. 

1.7 million 

1.7. million people 

benefitted from accessing 

BTA support and information 

services last year. 

Please donate today at 

www.tinnitus.org.uk/ 

christmasappeal

How the BTA supported me 

The hospital signposted me to the BTA website. Their website has lots 

of information and I became a member straight after. I then called 

the helpline for advice and after the call registered with one of the 

BTA support groups. I attended monthly support group sessions and 

thought "I’m not on my own". At that moment I felt very well supported. 

The BTA are here for you 

The BTA’s helpline services are available over the Christmas period. 

Their telephone helpline, web chat, email and SMS text service are solely 

dedicated to supporting people with tinnitus when they need 

that support most. At a time of year when tinnitus can make people 

feel a sense of isolation, these helpline services are vital. Please help 

the BTA to be there at Christmas, and all year round, by donating today. 

How you can help 

Please donate today to make sure the BTA can support more people 

like me. I know what a difference the BTA made to my life and how I 

manage my tinnitus. Help them to be there for people with tinnitus over 

Christmas and help them feel less isolated. This is my Christmas wish. 

The BTA receive no money directly 

from the government, so your donation this 

Christmas really will make a huge difference 

to people living with tinnitus. 

Here are some examples 

of the difference your 

donation can make: 

£23 

could pay for the 

BTA to facilitate a 

support group session 

£44 

could support 

1,500 people by text 

£110 

could train a new 

helpline volunteer 

Thank you. 

Lynette 

Please 

donate today 

Help the BTA support more 

people like me struggling 

with tinnitus over Christmas 

and the year ahead. 

Donate by using the 

reply slip and enclosed 

envelope or visiting 


christmasappeal 

Alternatively, you can call 

0114 250 9933 and donate 

over the phone.

Event round-up 

Aimed at audiologists, ENTs, GPs, hearing 

care professionals, psychologists, tinnitus 

support groups and researchers, the BTA 

VIrtual Conference Programme ran a 

different theme each day – including the 

psychology of tinnitus, practical skills and 

the latest in tinnitus research – with topics 

ranging from paediatric tinnitus, PTSD 

management and tinnitus, and the impact 

of tinnitus on professional musicians. 

In numbers: 

• 5 days 

• 20 lectures & seminars 

• 35% non-UK speakers 

• 308 attendees 

• 25 countries 

The most popular session of the week was 

‘Tinnitus and psychological symptoms in 

adult cochlear implant recipients’, which 

was presented by Dr Robert Pierzycki from 

the University of Nottingham, with over 162 

people logging in live. 

Other highlights included Professor David 

Baguley’s session on ‘Insights into tinnitus 

and hyperacusis and their association with 

general/mental health, from the Busselton 

Healthy Ageing Study’ and ‘Traumatic 

exposures and their influence on tinnitus’, 

presented by Dr Marc Fagelson. 

Wordcloud from attendee feedback 

Echoing last year’s conference, it was 

particularly encouraging to see high levels 

of engagement from attendees with the 

live Q&A sessions after the presentations. 

The online format gave the chance for 

more questions – no delay in waiting for 

the roving mic – and people really took 

advantage of the opportunity to interact. 

Feedback from attendees was very positive, 

with comments such as, “One of the best, 

most informative events I have attended 

EVER of the past 20+ years” and “Fantastic 

presentations with some unique ideas that 

even as an experienced audiologist I had 

not considered”. 

The sessions will be available online for the 

next twelve months for attendees. For those 

who have missed out, post-event access 

for all the sessions can be purchased at 

https://www.btaconference2021tickets. 

co.uk/bta 

6 www.tinnitus.org.uk 

QUIET 2021 Issue Three

THE 

SOUND 

OF 

SCIENCE 

Searching For A Tinnitus Cure 

Tinnitus Week 

7-13 February 2022 

www.tinnitus.org.uk 


Evolution not revo 

Audiologist Aida Francisca Lopes discusses modern tinnitus treatments 

Today, people are aware of the complexity 

of tinnitus, its management and causes, 

but this has not always been the case. 

Previously, tinnitus was simply known as 

"ringing in the ears". Sound therapy options 

were limited to cassette tapes, radio and 

analogue hearing aids. 

However, with research have come better 

and more convenient management tools 

which can be adapted to the lifestyles of 

today’s generation. 

Sound enrichment 

Although the principles of tinnitus 

management haven’t changed much, the 

devices and the delivery methods have 

changed over time. These now include: 

• Small in-ear white noise generators 

• Digital hearing aids 

• Combination devices (digital hearing aids 

with a built-in sound generator) 

• Tabletop sound generators 

• Smartphone apps 

• YouTube channels with ambient noise 

soundtracks. 

Ways to use sound enrichment 

One common way to initially try sound 

enrichment or sound therapy is to listen to 

relaxing and natural sounds. You can use 

sound generators that are standalone table 

top models, wearable ones or even sound 

pillows or pillow speakers. 

Sound pillows or pillow speakers can be 

Table top sound generator 

plugged into a sound generator, CD or MP3 

player. You can adjust the sound at the 

level where your partner is not disturbed 

and you can have the sound on throughout 

the night. 

Some sound generators come with an 

aromatherapy diffuser to aid relaxation or 

sleep, and others come with the option to 

load your favourite sounds. 

Sound therapy can also be delivered 

through ‘smart speakers’. For example, the 

Echo Dot speaker with its Alexa App offers a 

set of ambient sounds. You could ask Alexa 

to play the rain noise for 10 minutes to put 

you to sleep and set a time for the sound to 

turn on when or before you wake up so that 

you do not wake up to silence. 

Apps for tinnitus 

Various Apps have been built for tinnitus 

sound therapy. These provide information 



lution! 

and advice, as well as sound therapy, 

meditation and relaxation exercises. Two 

popular ones are Oticon Tinnitus Sound and 

Beltone Tinnitus Calmer. The Beltone app 

also has psychological strategies including 

elements of mindfulness and elements 

of Cognitive based therapy (CBT), as does 

Tinnibot. 

A survey conducted by Dr Magdelena 

Sereda identified a number of other 

apps that individuals with tinnitus found 

helpful, although not all of these had 

been developed specifically for tinnitus 

management. These included: 

• MyNoise 

• ReSound Relief 

• Rain Rain Sleep Sounds 

• Headspace 

• Tinnitus HQ 

• Tinnitus Balance 

Combination devices 

Because tinnitus often comes with hearing 

loss, these are often treated at the same 

time. Combination devices target hearing 

loss with amplification and can give 

background noise for tinnitus relief at 

the same time. These devices come with 

different types of noise, and whichever 

ones feel better to you and more effective 

can be applied in the device settings. 

You can also get Bluetooth enabled devices 

(such as the Engage Oticon) that have a 

range of sounds. These can be connected to 

your phone via Bluetooth and an app so that 

the settings and volumes can be adjusted 

using your phone. You can also wirelessly 

stream alternative tinnitus relief options, 

such as your favourite music, audiobook, 

Smart phone and smart speaker 

podcast or even a relaxation guide. 

Other therapies 

We have more in tinnitus management than 

just sound enrichment. Psychologically 

based therapies are also available. 

Traditionally, these have been delivered 

face to face but they can now also be 

undertaken via the internet. Internet-based 

cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) is ideal 

for individuals who are too busy for face-toface 

sessions, but who would like to have 

therapies done in the comfort of their home. 

The NHS provide a service called Improved 

Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) 

where you can now refer yourself in times 

of worry and stress and talk to someone 

regarding tinnitus-related anxiety and your 

mental wellbeing. 

You can find more information on these 

topics through the BTA’s website, social 

media streams, email newsletters and 

publications. 

That organisations, products or services have 

been named in this article does not imply 

endorsement of them by the BTA. 


Getting #BackToLive 

Since March 2020, live music events have 

very much laid dormant. This has had a 

significant impact on musicians, event 

organisers and people who enjoy going to 

festivals, gigs and clubs. 

Live music events are now beginning to 

take place again, as we start to get back 

to what is now commonly being called 

#BackToLive. 

This means it is vital that we make more 

people aware of the need to protect 

themselves from tinnitus and hearing 

damage at live music events. The problem 

is that having been restricted so much over 

the past 18 months, will people want to 

think about protecting their hearing? 

Musician and DJ Anne Savage is 

an incredible BTA supporter and an 

Ambassador for our tinnitus prevention 

campaign, Plug’em. We asked Anne how 

recent events had impacted her and how 

she felt about getting back to live: 

“As a full-time musician and DJ, 

obviously my live gigs stopped overnight. 

Initially I thought it might improve my 

tinnitus due to less exposure to loud 

music, but the stress and uncertainty 

surrounding the impact of the pandemic 

on the future of night-time industries - 

for example venues going out of business 

- actually made it worse at times. 

"I am thrilled most venues are back 

open and I’m happy to be working again, 

but I worry about large crowds and 

contracting the virus even though I’m 

double-jabbed. I also have concerns for 

my fans, clientele and all young people 

Anne Savage 

as they return to festivals and nightlife. 

They may place less importance on 

hearing conservation - that message 

seems to have got lost amongst the other 

medical and pandemic-related worries 

people have had to contend with. 

So now, more than ever, it is crucial to 

get across the importance of protecting 

your hearing to avoid tinnitus and other 

noise-induced hearing damage.” 

If you want to know more about how to 

protect your ears at live events then visit 

www.plugem.co.uk. And if you have 

questions or are worried about tinnitus, 

please do get in touch with our Tinnitus 

Support Team on 0800 018 0527 or by 

joining a web chat with us at www.tinnitus. 

org.uk . 



Getting the most from your 

ENT APPOINTMENT 

Taking an active role in your tinnitus 

management can help you improve your 

quality of life. One way to do this is to 

make sure you get the most out of any 

appointment with your ENT consultant or 

audiologist, so we've come up with four top 

tips to help: 

1. Be prepared 

Think about your appointment ahead 

of time. Think about your concerns and 

questions. Make a list of what you want to 

discuss. 

Questions you may want to ask could be: 

• Do I need any tests? 

• What treatment options are there? 

• Is there anything I can do to help myself? 

• Where can I go for more information? 

• What happens next? 

2. Check the details 

Find out how long your appointment will be. 

By knowing how much time you have, you'll 

be able to plan your approach. 

3. Confirm the type of 

appointment 

Will it take place face to face, over the 

telephone or video call? This will allow you 

to prepare, for example if you need to find a 

quiet and comfortable place for a phone or 

video call, and you may need headphones. 

If you need captions for a video call, or an 

interpreter for a face-to-face meeting, ask 

if this is available. 

4. Opt in to letters 

If you are seen in a hospital clinic, it can be 

useful to receive a copy of your clinic letter, 

as well as your audiogram (hearing test) 

and management plan. 

You may also like to watch 'Getting the 

most your GP consultation' on our website: 

www.tinnitus.org.uk/free-webinars 


Registration opens 

baaudiology.org 

SPRING 2022 

18th 

Save the date 

Annual 

Conference 

13-14 October 2022 

Central 

Manchester 

Complex 

Convention 



The Marie and Jack 

Shapiro Prize 

We're pleased to announce the award 

of the Marie and Jack Shapiro Prize to a 

study that sought to investigate ways of 

increasing access to psychology-based 

tinnitus treatments. 

There is currently no cure for tinnitus, 

but psychology-based treatments 

have a strong evidence base for their 

effectiveness. Access to these treatments 

is patchy and it is tremendous to see people 

thinking about new ways of delivering these 

interventions. 

This study provides both the clinical and 

research communities with a number of 

important learning points. These could help 

lead new research towards more effective 

and accessible treatments for tinnitus. 

The paper, “The TinMan study: feasibility 

trial of a psychologically informed, 

audiologist-delivered, manualised 

intervention for tinnitus” led by Drs John 

Taylor and Dean Thompson from the 

NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research 

Centre and a team of patients, clinicians 

and researchers, found that although the 

patients found the treatment acceptable 

and helpful, audiologists identified 

potential barriers to use that will need to be 

addressed before it can be used in clinic. 

The prize was judged by our Professional 

Advisers’ Committee, who commented 

that it was “A useful study to explore a 

newly emerging way of increasing access 

to psychologically informed treatments for 

tinnitus. It is great to see robust feasibility 

studies being developed to explore how 

such approaches need to be designed 

and adapted and to consider if this type 

of intervention can be of use to patients. 

Although the findings may indicate that 

this approach has significant barriers, in 

the longer term, this type of work is likely 

to have an impact on how tinnitus care 

evolves.” 

Chief Investigator Dr Derek Hoare said, "On 

behalf of the team involved in this work, I 

would like to thank the BTA and say how 

delighted we are to be awarded this year’s 

Shapiro Prize. This work was funded by the 

NIHR and was a highly collaborative effort. 

The team included patients and patient 

advocates, clinicians and researchers. 

Together we produced and tested a 

treatment manual that can be used by 

audiologists to provide psychological 

support for people with tinnitus. With a 

little more work, we plan to test the new 

treatment manual in a larger trial and make 

it ready for use in clinics.” 


Tinnitus & tinnitus disorder 

The British Academy of Audiology (BAA) 

Conference returned face to face last 

month and attracted over 500 delegates to 

what is the largest audiology conference in 

the UK. 

Prize-winning poster 

The BAA Conference offered the 

opportunity for organisations to submit a 

poster to display the latest findings in the 

field. Topics included clinical, education, 

research, service innovation and workforce 

abstracts. With nearly 100 posters on 

display, the BTA were delighted that our 

A patient perspective on definitions for 

tinnitus and tinnitus disorder research 

poster, produced by Dr Georgina Burns- 

O'Connell with contributions from Lucy 

Potter and Nic Wray and our Consultation 

Group, won Best Research Poster. This was 

a fantastic achievement for the authors 

and the BTA. 

Tinnitus and tinnitus disorder 

Clinicians and researchers (De Ridder et al. 

2021) recently proposed a new definition 

for ‘tinnitus’ and developed a definition for 

‘tinnitus disorder’: 

• Tinnitus = perception of sounds with 

"no identifiable corresponding external 

acoustic source" 

• Tinnitus disorder = tinnitus with 

associated suffering. 

Suffering is defined as “emotional distress, 

cognitive dysfunction, and/or autonomic 

arousal, leading to behavioural changes 

and functional disability”. 

Lucy Potter with the BTA posters 

Gathering perspectives 

To the best of our knowledge, individuals 

with lived experience of tinnitus were 

excluded from developing the proposed 

definitions, so the BTA team aimed to 

gather perspectives on these definitions 

from those with lived experience of tinnitus. 

A survey was conducted to explore 

participants’ thoughts on the proposed 

definitions and arguments set out in the 

original paper. 

The participants consisted of those with 

lived experiences of tinnitus and who were 

members of the British Tinnitus Association 

(BTA) Consultation Group. Thirty-two people 

responded to the survey. 

The survey provided the definitions of 

tinnitus and tinnitus disorder and other 

statements about tinnitus and asked 

the participants whether they agreed or 

disagreed. Participants were also able 

to elaborate on their choice via free text 

responses. 



T 

Strong views 

The results of the survey demonstrated 

strong views on the proposed definitions 

of tinnitus and tinnitus disorder. 94% of 

participants agreed with the definition of 

tinnitus compared to 66% of participants 

agreeing with the definition of tinnitus 

disorder. 

The majority of participants agreed with 

the definition of tinnitus because they felt it 

was factual, clear and broad. 

Over three-quarters (78%) of participants 

felt the proposed definitions would not 

impact on the way they live with tinnitus: 

“whatever label is applied to 

experiencing tinnitus is irrelevant.” 

The definition of ‘tinnitus disorder’ was 

disputed by some participants and 

some found it inaccessible and difficult 

to understand. Areas of disagreement 

included: 

Whether they had experienced any 

changes in behaviour 

Whether they had experienced functional 

disability 

Classing tinnitus as a psychological 

problem. 

Some strengths of the definition of tinnitus 

disorder were recognised: participants 

acknowledged that it: 

May increase awareness of the condition 

Could lead to standardised approaches to 

medical care 

Acknowledges that tinnitus can have a 

wider impact 

Recognises it is a serious condition that 

can affect everyday life. 

Participants felt by excluding their 

perspective from the initial proposal of the 

definition, the paper was not written with 

British Tinnitus Association, Ground Floor, Unit 5, Acorn Business Park, Woodseats Close, Sheffield, S8 0TB 

Registered charity no: 1011145 | Company limited by guarantee no: 2709302 | Registered in England 

them in mind: 

"whilst this paper draws upon many 

aspects of medical knowledge […], 

it demonstrates seemingly little 

understanding of tinnitus from a 

sufferer’s perspective, or that of their 

family, friends and colleagues." 

In summary 

A patient perspective on definitions 

for tinnitus and tinnitus disorder 

Dr Georgina Burns-O’Connell, Lucy Potter, Nic Wray and the British Tinnitus Association Consultation Group 

Correspondence: Georgina Burns-O’Connell | T: +44 (0)114 250 9933 | E: georgina@tinnitus.org.uk | W: www.tinnitus.org.uk | T: @GeorgieBOC 

Tinnitus definitions 

Clinicians and researchers (De Ridder et al. 2021) recently 

proposed a new definition for ‘tinnitus’ and developed a 

definition for ‘Tinnitus Disorder’: 

• Tinnitus = perception of sounds with ‘no 

identifiable corresponding external acoustic 

source’ 

• Tinnitus Disorder = tinnitus with associated 

suffering. 

Suffering is defined as “emotional distress, cognitive 

dysfunction, and/or autonomic arousal, leading to 

behavioural changes and functional disability”. 

To the best of our knowledge, individuals with lived experience of 

tinnitus were excluded from developing the proposed definitions. 

Aim 

To gather perspectives on the proposed definitions from those 

with lived experience of tinnitus. 

Methodology 

A survey was conducted to explore participants’ thoughts on the 

proposed definitions and arguments set out in the original paper. 

The participants consisted of those with lived experiences 

of tinnitus and who were members of the British Tinnitus 

Association (BTA) Consultation Group. Thirty-two people 

responded to the survey. 

The survey provided the definitions of tinnitus and Tinnitus 

Disorder and other statements about tinnitus and asked the 

participants whether they agreed or disagreed participants were 

also able to elaborate on their choice via free text responses. 

Results 

The results of the survey demonstrated strong views on the 

proposed definitions of tinnitus and Tinnitus Disorder. 

94% of participants agreed with the definition of tinnitus 

compared to 66% of participants agreeing with the definition of 

Tinnitus Disorder. 

Tinnitus definition 

6% 

94% 

Agree 

Disagree 

The majority of participants agreed with the definition of tinnitus 

because they felt it was factual, clear and broad. 

34% 

Tinnitus Disorder definition 

66% 

Agree 

Disagree 

Results 

The prize-winning poster 

The majority (78%) of participants felt the proposed definitions 

would not impact on the way they live with tinnitus: “whatever 

label is applied to experiencing tinnitus is irrelevant”. 

The definition of ‘Tinnitus Disorder’ was disputed by some 

participants. Areas of disagreement included: 

Whether they had experienced any changes in behaviour 

Whether they experienced functional disability 

Classing tinnitus as a psychological problem. 

Participants argued the ‘Tinnitus Disorder’ definition was 

inaccessible, and participants had to read it over a few times 

“before getting a grasp of what it is saying”. 

Some strengths of the definition of Tinnitus Disorder were 

recognised, participants acknowledged that it: 

May increase awareness of the condition 

Could lead to standardised approaches to medical 

care 

Acknowledges that tinnitus can have a wider impact 

Recognises it is a serious condition that can affect everyday life. 

Take-away 

It is essential that those with lived experience of 

tinnitus are included in developing research proposals 

as well as future discussions and research about 

defining tinnitus and Tinnitus Disorder. 

The debate around the best way(s) to define tinnitus is an 

important one, with the outcomes likely to have significant 

impacts on how people with tinnitus access healthcare and the 

availability of treatments. 

If new definitions, classifications, and terms such as ‘Tinnitus 

Disorder’ are to be developed, the potential consequences must be 

discussed with those who experience tinnitus. 

Conclusion 

Although the majority agreed with the proposal, the participants 

believed the definition of Tinnitus Disorder to be complex and hard 

for non-professional people to understand. 

Participants felt by excluding their perspective from the initial 

proposal of the definition, the paper was not written with them in 

mind: 

‘whilst this paper draws upon many aspects of medical knowledge 

[…], it demonstrates seemingly little understanding of tinnitus 

from a sufferer’s perspective, or that of their family, friend and 

colleagues’. 

The debate around the best way(s) to 

define tinnitus is an important one, with 

the outcomes likely to have significant 

impacts on how people with tinnitus 

access healthcare and the availability of 

treatments. 

It is essential that those with lived 

experience of tinnitus are included in 

developing research proposals as well as 

future discussions and research about 

defining tinnitus and tinnitus disorder. 


Treating young pe 

Audiologist Megan Hayden discusses 

the challenges of seeing a young 

person with tinnitus as they 

transition to adult services. 

The situation 

Sixteen-year-old ‘Sarah’ attended our direct 

referral clinic for under-50’s. She presented with 

normal hearing; her main complaint was tinnitus. 

She was identified as requiring further support, but 

which support route was the best avenue? 

We offer two in-house options for tinnitus support: 

the group Tinnitus Education Session (TES) or an 

individual appointment. The TES has a number of 

benefits that can’t be experienced in a one-to-one 

setting such as camaraderie, the opportunity to 

identify with others, validation of experience and 

symptom/social comparison. However, if a TES is 

not suitable, an individual session may be offered. 

Technically the transition from paediatrics to 

adults can start at 16, but the child/family typically 

chooses to delay transition to 18. For this reason it 

is unusual to see Sarah's age group in a TES. 

An individualised one-to-one appointment was 

considered to be the best management option. 

Considerations 

1. If her age group is not represented in the TES, 

would the benefits of the group session be 

accessible to Sarah, or could it possibly contribute 

to feelings of isolation? 

2. Sarah may still benefit from symptom/social 

comparison. However, this could potentially cause 

health anxiety. Is emotional maturity something to 

consider? 

3. Sarah was very shy and quietly spoken - would 

she feel comfortable raising her own concerns and 

opinions, or would she become lost in the group? 

Preparation 

In preparation, I considered whether I would 

approach Sarah's appointment any differently to 

that of one of our older patients, but decided that I 

would not. My main objectives of the appointment 

would remain unchanged. These were: 

• to gain understanding and insight into Sarah's 

tinnitus, her reaction and feelings towards it 

• to understand causal and influencing factors 

• to clarify the wider application/potential 

impacts to quality of life (sleep, mood, behaviour 

changes) 

• to provide reassurance and education on 

tinnitus/tinnitus management strategies 

As in all my appointments, I would need to ensure 

that the information (verbal and written) given was 

accessible to Sarah. 

I consulted two documents, namely the British 

Society of Audiology’s Tinnitus in Children Practice 

Guidance and the National Institute of Health and 

Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, Tinnitus: 

assessment and management, recommendations. 

There are no NICE guidelines specific to children/ 

young people with tinnitus, however, the NICE 

guidelines apply to all patients (adults, children 

and young people) with tinnitus unless otherwise 

stated. 

These helped reassure me that I was correct in my 

approach. Research available is limited and of 

variable quality, but suggests that children with 

tinnitus share many similarities to adults with 

tinnitus. Like adults, whilst the experience of 

tinnitus is common, most children with tinnitus are 

not bothered by it, and a simple explanation and 

reassurance are all that is required. Only a small 

number of children will require further 

management to help with distress or impact upon 

their lives. 

The appointment 

My appointment with Sarah aimed to establish the 

level of distress and impact upon her and her 



ople with tinnitus 

family, ascertain any causal or influencing factors 

and begin to plan the management strategy. I was 

able to draw upon both the information leaflets 

from the BTA for adults and their leaflets for older 

children, having taken into account Sarah’s age, 

cognitive and linguistic ability and individual 

circumstances. 

Sarah’s appointment was online, and it was not 

easy as Sarah didn’t have a webcam, and the lack 

of information from body language/visual cues 

made this more counselling style interaction 

difficult. Sarah is not naturally very chatty, though 

when prompted with questions, was happy to talk. 

However, her answers were often short, and did 

require further questioning/prompting to get 

further information. 

I felt any further follow-up appointments would 

have benefited from attending clinic and being 

seen in person but at the end of this session, Sarah 

was happy to be discharged and contact us if 

further support was required. 

Challenges/reflection 

Overall, the goals of the appointment were 

achieved, and the outcome was a positive one. 

However, there were a number of challenges: 

1. Sarah's choice to not have her webcam on/the 

lack of visual information. Non-verbal information 

is critical in a counselling style appointment, and 

without this visual information it was very difficult 

to gauge Sarah's understanding. 

2. Difference in disclosure/communication style. 

During the conversation Sarah was happy to talk 

and answer questions asked, but with limited 

elaboration unless further prompted. I was 

prompting and guiding disclosure/conversation 

much more than I am used to in an adult 

appointment (despite using open-ended questions) 

and it was much less free-flowing than adult 

conversation 

3 The role of the parent. There seemed to be an 

awkward balance between being a dependant, and 

wanting independence. It was difficult to know 

whether I could share information and make 

appointments with the parent, or whether I should 

be making it solely with Sarah.It was also unusual 

not ‘debriefing’ the parent on what has occurred, 

and not seeing the patient as a child. 

A colleague shared that from her experience 

parent anxiety can be a large contributor, and so 

having them attend the management discussion 

part of the appointment (with the patient's 

consent) can be beneficial. 

For our area, our usual signposting to local support 

services does not apply to patients under 18. 

Should there have been need for further suppot, a 

referral to CAMS would have been required. 

Picture posed by model. Sarah is a pseudonym. 


2021 marathon dre 

L-R: Louise, Angela, Colette, Richard, Hugo, Helen, Jess, Chloe and Stephan, Neal, Jo and Christina 

Christina 

“Sunday 3 October 

2021 is a date 

I’ll never forget. 

I still can’t quite 

process how the 

hell I did it, but I did. 

"Big thanks to my bestie who was by 

my side in her car checking in on me. 

Thank you to everyone that came 

out and joined me during my final 5 

miles – they were testing and painful. 

I did the run for the British Tinnitus 

Association but also for myself: my 

hard work and determination have 

paid off. 

"Never in my life did I ever think I’d get 

a medal for completing a marathon, I 

feel a bit choked. It’s been an amazing 

journey and I’ve met some amazing 

people along the way with some 

amazing stories. This is just the start 

of something new. 

"Challenge yourself – it’s the best 

feeling ever.” 

Hugo 

“There was a 

real sense of 

community and 

support on the 

day – the crowds 

were amazing. 

"And it meant so much to see my 

family and friends along the course in 

London cheering me on! 

"I was delighted with my finish time 

of 4 hours 4 minutes, especially after 

having to take a couple of weeks out 

of training just before the event due to 

Covid. 

"Throughout my training and 

fundraising, I found that the cause 

really resonated with people – they 

either knew someone with tinnitus or 

had a personal experience. 

"I’m thrilled to have been able to raise 

awareness and over £7,400 for a 

cause close to my heart.” 



am team! 

Inspired to take 

on a challenge? 

We have 10 places left for the Brighton 

Marathon on 10 April 2022 and would 

love to help you to achieve something 

amazing whilst supporting our work. For 

more info and to sign up for a place, visit 

www.tinnitus.org.uk/brighton-marathon. 

Deadline 28 February 2022. 

RideLondon is back for 2022! 

Richard 

"Congratulations 

everyone! This has 

been an amazing 

journey. A year ago 

I was struggling to 

cope with my tinnitus 

and couldn't see a way forward and 

now I've completed a marathon. 

Massive thanks to all of you for putting 

this together. Bring on next year!" 

The Virgin Money London Marathon 

was back in person on Sunday 3 

October after a long wait. 

As 35,871 runners took to the streets of 

London, 22,342 virtual runners completed 

their 26.2 miles in their local areas, 

including our wonderful team of 

fundraisers. 

As well as successfully completing the 

gruelling challenge and raising awareness 

of tinnitus in their local areas, our marathon 

team raised an incredible £16,269.23 to 

support the work we do for the tinnitus 

community. A huge well done and thank 

you, Team BTA! 

The world's greatest festival of cycling 

returns on Sunday 29 May 2022, with a new 

format and new route, and we'd love you to 

join our team! 

RideLondon-Essex 100 is a unique 

opportunity to ride 100 miles on traffic-free 

roads through the heart of London and 

neighbouring Essex. By taking part, you'll be 

one of 25,000 to complete the new London- 

Essex route and one of only five to do it for 

the BTA and the tinnitus community. 

The entry fee is £65 and the suggested 

minimum sponsorship is £500. Visit 

www.tinnitus.org.uk/ridelondon-is-back 

to find out more. 

If you have already secured a place, you'll 

be welcome in Team BTA. You'll get 

personalised fundraising support and there 

is no minimum sponsorship. Email 

fundraising@tinnitus.org.uk 


I felt resentful 

Andrew Smith acquired tinnitus as a result of a severe ear infection. Here he shares how 

the condition affects him and his family. 

I’ve had tinnitus since May 2018. It was the 

result of a severe infection in my left inner 

ear which was diagnosed as labyrinthitis. 

The illness caused damage to the hair cells 

in my cochlear and as a result I suffered 

irreparable severe hearing loss and 

associated tinnitus. 

Like a distant jet engine 

I had experienced a mild form of tinnitus 

a few times before but this had always 

cleared by the following morning. Initially I 

didn’t identify the noise in my ear as being 

tinnitus. The pain and other symptoms were 

so severe that it took me a while to even 

realise that I had it! In my case the sound is 

always a 'rushing' noise – like a distant jet 

engine. It is constant but varies in volume 

and is sometimes accompanied by other 

sounds – distant church bells being one. 

Muddled and forgetful 

At the time of the onset I had retired 

but was continuing to work part-time 

for a friend. Unfortunately I found the 

labyrinthitis symptoms – not least the 

tinnitus - caused me to become muddled 

and forgetful when carrying out relatively 

simple tasks and I resigned from my 

role. I felt resentful that my tinnitus had 

prevented me from continuing in a job 

which I had found enjoyable. 

The combination of tinnitus and deafness 

sometimes causes me to feel irritable 

and short-tempered. This can obviously 

have a negative effect on family life. As 

Andrew Smith 

understanding as my wife is, she also has 

to live with it through me, and I know that 

isn’t easy for her. 

I attended the A & E department of our local 

hospital when my symptoms became really 

acute but I didn’t feel the seriousness of my 

condition was recognised by the clinician. I 

visited my GP a few days after this and he 

was able to get me a prompt appointment 

with an ENT consultant, who told me 

that I was suffering from severe 'classic' 

labyrinthitis. 

The damage had been done 

Following examination, he said that my 

hearing may improve slightly with time but 

really the damage had been done. Up to this 

point, I had assumed the tinnitus and the 

hearing loss was part of the acute phase 

which would improve as part of the healing 

process. So the consultant’s rather final 



tone came as quite a shock. 

Although the symptoms of my condition 

were discussed, the tinnitus element didn’t 

seem to figure to any great extent. It was 

only when I went to be assessed for a 

hearing aid by an audiologist that it was 

suggested this may also help to reduce the 

tinnitus. 

The consultant referred me to a Hearing 

Therapist and I have continued to have 

contact with her for over two years 

although our sessions have had to be by 

phone for more than a year due to Covid-19. 

Having time to talk 

Having time to talk to someone with 

knowledge of tinnitus has most definitely 

been helpful. A range of techniques to 

help me live with my tinnitus have been 

discussed, including relaxation, when 

it may not be helpful to wear a hearing 

aid, and habituation (a rather important 

sounding word that means “getting used to 

it”). 

My Hearing Therapist suggested that I join 

the BTA. I found the information helpful: 

it was important for me to know that 

many other people were having similar 

experiences to mine. I would certainly 

encourage anyone who has tinnitus to join 

the association. 

Working hard 

From what I have read, many people with 

tinnitus have experienced a dismissive 

response from health professionals, and 

the BTA is working hard to turn this around. 

It is often difficult when you feel that you’re 

a lone voice to make that voice heard. 

I felt quite hopeless when the full impact 

of my condition became clear and I am 

pleased with what I have achieved since. An 

enjoyable and absorbing activity certainly 

helps me to deal with tinnitus. Just how 

well I do deal with it varies a lot – the 

pandemic has certainly not helped. I feel 

my experience of the last three years has 

been mixed: it would have been helpful 

if it had been explained that hearing loss 

is often accompanied by tinnitus. Talking 

about it to someone who understands most 

definitely helped me. 

When tinnitus is first experienced, it can 

so easily cause someone to feel helpless, 

hopeless and desperate, but there are ways 

in which help can be effectively provided. I 

feel the BTA is doing a good job in helping to 

provide support where it matters. 

Share your own story 

Whether you're new to tinnitus or have 

had it for many years; whether you're 

managing it well or finding it all a bit of 

a struggle, your story could help us to 

reach more people, and potentially 

make a difference to their lives. 

Don't worry — you'd have control over 

how, when and where we share your story 

and we'll help you put it together — no 

writing skills needed! 

We are especially looking for: 

• people based in Wales or in 

Scotland 

• people with musical hallucination 

• people from minority ethnic 

backgrounds 

who are willing to help us and become 

one of our story tellers. 

If this is something you'd be interested 

in, please get in touch with Nic Wray on 

nic@tinnitus.org.uk or write to her at Nic 

Wray, FREEPOST BTA (no stamp needed). 


To beat tinnitus, accept it 

Sash Dublish shares his experience of living with tinnitus and hyperacusis. 

My tinnitus journey started in September 2018 

following a manual cleaning of ear wax, though I 

believe tinnitus was inevitable due to exposure to 

loud music over the years - the ear wax cleaning 

was just a trigger. 

I thought nothing of it 

My tinnitus started fairly low, so I thought nothing 

of it and really continued life as normal. I was 

DJing, going to nightclubs and using headphones, 

although I was a little more cautious. Gradually 

each loud event would make my tinnitus worse, 

even though I went to events only three or four 

times a year. 

In July 2019, I started experiencing hyperacusis 

following a house alarm. Initially I was really 

annoyed at myself, but it couldn’t have been 

avoided. I have a number of physical symptoms 

with hyperacusis and it sometimes accentuates 

the tinnitus. 

I can hear it everywhere 

Currently, my tinnitus is so loud – it feels around 

90 decibels. I can hear it everywhere including 

the shower. My hyperacusis has improved but 

all sounds are louder. I still have symptoms like 

sensitivity, ear flutter and ear burning. Apart from 

very loud noises, I have noticed my hyperacusis 

and tinnitus get a lot worse due to wind speed, 

when I experience intense migraines, fatigue and 

nausea the next day. 

Unfortunately, due to tinnitus I have had to give up 

the activities I love like going to football matches, 

nightclubs, music festivals, DJing and using 

headphones. That has been the hardest part - it 

has curtailed my social life significantly. Even 

an outdoor music festival worsened my tinnitus. 

Taking flights is hazardous due to changes in air 

pressure. 

I used to wear earplugs when shopping or driving 

but I hardly wear them now, which I think has 

helped as I am not so anxious about loud sounds. I 

Sash Dublish 

am trying very hard not to focus on sound. Anxiety 

exacerbates my perception of tinnitus. 

When I am busy, I do not hear my tinnitus even 

though it is so loud and noticeable. I do hear it in 

bed very loudly but luckily most times I am able 

to nod off easily. I find some form of pink noise 

doesn’t necessarily mask it, but it helps me sleep 

better. 

I am starting to meditate 

I am starting to meditate – it’s still early days but 

I can see why for some people it could help to 

distract the mind from the sound of tinnitus. 

To beat tinnitus, accept it and try not to think 

about it – I know, more easily said than done! Keep 

busy and distracted. There will be ups and down: 

please do not blame yourself for spikes which will 

inevitably happen from time to time. 

It also helps to talk to people about tinnitus. I have 

a very good Audiologist and is just nice to speak 

to someone who understands the condition, even 

though there is no cure. I am also about to start 

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy soon. 



Living happily with 

tinnitus 

Andrea White didn't know if she could 

live with tinnitus at first, but her 

story has a happy ending. 

Waking up one morning in late 2015 with an 

intrusive high-pitched hiss in my head was a 

surprise, but I soon realised this must be tinnitus 

and my existence quickly became tortured by it. 

I thought my hearing was good 

My GP confirmed it, said I’d have to get used to it 

and re-directed me to Audiology, where a hearing 

test showed I had some loss of hearing at the top 

levels, which was news to me as I thought my 

hearing was good. Hearing aids were prescribed, 

which I accepted, although secretly I thought I was 

much too young to wear them, so I put them aside 

and ignored them. I wasn’t too young of course, 

and it was a big mistake not to take them on. 

The long journey to find a cure 

I thought I knew best and set out on the long 

journey to find a 'cure'. Research on the internet 

revealed that many people had tried many 

different things, almost all of which had no real 

effect. In addition, medical researchers were 

beginning to see this condition as a neuronal 

disorder in the auditory cortex with various causes. 

With this in mind my first experiment was to 

have a course of repeat transcranial magnetic 

stimulation (rTMS]. This cost a lot of money and 

had no effect on my neurons. 

Be in the moment 

My second experiment was of a psychological 

nature where I had a series of meetings with a 

psychologist who helped me to 'be in the moment' 

with my life and its activities. With this new 

'mindfulness' tool, I began to notice things a lot 

more and this strategy effectively diverted my 

Andrea White 

thoughts and attention away from the tinnitus, 

the noise of which became subdued and often 

disappeared. 

Almost 100% free of the noise 

I also decided to give the hearing aids a try and, 

amazingly, the recovery of the high-pitched 

sounds I was missing seemed to completely wipe 

out any residual tinnitus noise. I am now almost 

100% free of the noise of tinnitus, I hear it briefly 

when I awake, but it disappears within minutes 

as I focus on other things. 

My life now has changed completely, from those 

early days of fear and unhappiness where I 

thought I’d be on anti-depressants forever, to a 

normal, busy, happy existence where I am able 

to immerse myself in and thoroughly enjoy my 

activities and life generally. 

The experts were right 

In the beginning I was told that I would have to 

habituate to tinnitus – the experts were right, you 

just have to find your way to achieving it, and I 

hope that my experience will help. 


Paul's story: I thought it was 

game over for my music career 

By day, Paul Pearson is one of the team of printers who print Quiet magazine. 

But he also has another passion - music. How does tinnitus affect this? 

Hello, my name is Paul Pearson. I’m a 

DJ, radio DJ, music producer and a litho 

printer by day. As you can probably guess, 

I’m also a tinnitus sufferer. I've been a 

printer by trade for 20 years, and a DJ for 

even longer. 

As a DJ and weekly clubber since before 

the Millennium, I've spent a lot of time in 

night clubs and bars and didn't protect my 

ears. I would say I've had tinnitus since 

the mid-2000s at a guess.I would wake 

up from gigs or nights out with ringing 

ears and think, "It's ok, it will pass," which 

it usually did until one time it didn’t and it 

has never gone away. 

I attended a club night in Sheffield and 

the sound system was terrible, very top 

heavy and harsh on the ears. When I woke 

up the following day, the ringing I was 

used to hearing never stopped. 

My tinnitus mainly bothers me in quiet 

spaces. As I work in a loud environment, 

it's also hard to hear some days. More 

recently, I have been noticing it with my 

earplugs in and I definitely notice it in the 

studio when I have my headphones on 

and no music playing. The enclosure of 

headphones can be unbearable at times. 

Although I will not give in to my tinnitus 

and stop doing what I love, it’s certainly 

getting worse as time goes on. 

My tinnitus is quite high frequency, like 

bad white noise and ringing. Bizarrely, 

Paul with a BTA appeal letter on press! 

sometimes I can hear voices like a family 

member speaking to me or words being 

spoken. It doesn’t affect my family life 

but my little girl can be loud at times and 

has shouted a few times in my ears which 

can be painful. Laying in bed at night is 

definitely the worst if I concentrate on my 

tinnitus. 

In 2008, I visited my local hospital after 

speaking to my GP where I went into a 

soundproof room to test my hearing, which 

was unbearable! The end result was I that 

I have lost some hearing.Nothing else 

was really suggested back then or any 

help other than a hearing aid white noise 

generator, which at 27 did not go down well 



with me and I left quite frustrated. I’m quite 

a strong-willed person so I just decided to 

learn to live with it and maybe look at some 

sort of treatment in the future as I get older 

and technology advances, or I may look at 

alternative therapies. 

One thing that does help me and has for 

the past few years is meditation. I meditate 

daily and that time out does help calm the 

mind in today's busy world. 

When my tinnitus started, I thought it was 

game over for my music career, that I would 

have to give up DJing and producing music. 

Luckily this has not been the case and it's 

pushed me to work harder. Pre-pandemic, I 

still had regular gigs and one good thing to 

come out of lockdown is a regular slot on 

LDC Radio in Leeds. My hobby is not ideal 

for a tinnitus sufferer, but I refuse to let this 

get in my way. 

The ironic part of my story is I first found 

out about the BTA through my job as 

a printer. I have regularly printed the 

magazine you are reading for many years. 

Apart from the writers and editors, I’m 

usually the first to read it! The BTA has 

helped me get a lot of insight into tinnitus 

and see I’m not alone. 

My plans for the future are keep on with my 

music as I’ve been in love with dance music 

since the mid-90s. Music is in my soul and I 

refuse to let this condition stand in my way. 

Hopefully in the future we will see a 

breakthrough in medicine or therapy for all 

tinnitus sufferers, but my word of advice 

to everyone is wear earplugs! I wish I could 

go back in time to speak to the 20-year-old 

me and stress the importance of earplugs. 

I wear my ACS plugs everyday and think 

every music fan needs to invest in a pair. 

Look after your hearing: you only get one 

set of ears! 


PRODUCTS FOR TINNITUS 

Each of these products will not only help you, but each purchase will 

help support the work that we do for people with tinnitus. 

CDs and audio 

We offer four hour-long noise CDs, each of which feature a different waveform 

sound (white, pink, brown or purple). 

Our best-seller ‘Sound of the Sea on Deal Beach’ is available in CD or memory 

stick form. This features the sound of the sea coming in on a pebble beach, 

which can be a useful, calming aid to relaxation. 

See our range in our online shop at www.tinnitus.org.uk/shop. 

Bone conduction 

headphones 

Bone conduction technology uses vibrations through your cheekbones to 

deliver sound directly to your inner ear (cochlea), bypassing the eardrum. This 

means you can still hear the world around you whilst using sound as a form of 

distraction and relaxation for your tinnitus. 

Our partnership with Sport Rewards means we can offer preferentially priced 

AfterShokz headphones to BTA members. 

Sport Rewards will also donate 10% of the purchase price of products* bought 

via www.sportrewards.co.uk/collections/bta to the BTA. 

Ear plugs and 

ear defenders 

Sound therapy 

systems 

We only have one pair of ears, and they have to last us a lifetime. Damage to 

hearing caused by noise is irreversible. The risk of damage is dependent not 

only on the volume of the noise, but the length of time you’re exposed to that 

noise. 

To minimise your risk of damage, always wear hearing protection in a noisy 

environment. Buy ear plugs or ear defenders that are made for the task – 

cotton wool or sticking your fingers in your ears won’t do anything to help! 

You can see our range of hearing protection – which includes ear defenders for 

babies and young children- in our online shop at www.tinnitus.org.uk/shop. 

Sound therapy systems play high quality digital recordings of real, natural 

sounds and/or carefully designed neutral sounds. You can choose the sound 

or sounds that work best for you. Sound pillows or under pillow speakers mean 

you can surround yourself in sound without disturbing a companion. 

We are working in partnership with Puretone to provide preferentially priced 

sound therapy systems and pillow speakers to BTA supporters and members. 

Puretone will also donate 10% of the purchase price of products* bought via 

www.puretone.net/btashop to the BTA. 

*excluding postage costs 



Local Support Group 

Volunteers Needed! 

Are you looking for a 

tinnitus support group in 

your area? Are your local 

group meetings on hold? 

If you would like to help revive 

your local group or start a 

new one in your area, please 

get in touch with Emily 

Ducker on emilyd@tinnitus. 

org.uk or call 0114 250 9933. 

Online Tinnitus & 

Hyperacusis Group! 

Wednesday 19 January 

7.00-8.30pm. 


online-support-groups 

YDYCH CHI'N SIARAD 

CYMRAEG? 

The BTA is expanding its online 

tinnitus support group offering 

with a Welsh-speaking group! 

We hope to get it up and 

running in the New Year, but 

we need your help. 

If you are fluent in Welsh and 

would be interested in cofacilitating 

or helping in the 

background as a volunteer, 

please get in touch with Emily 

at emilyd@tinnitus.org.uk 

Why not become 

a helpline 

volunteer? Full 

training provided 

Contact emilyd@ 

tinnitus.org.uk 


SUPPORT GROUPS 

Scotland 

Edinburgh & SE Scotland 

Forth Valley 

Glasgow 

Highlands 

Northern Ireland 

Belfast 

Craigavon 

Enniskillen (on hold) 

Newry & Mourne 

Omagh (on hold) 

RNID Northern Ireland 

Western (Londonderry) 

North-West England 

& Isle of Man 

Aintree (on hold) 

Blackpool (on hold) 

Bolton 

Cumbria 

Garstang (on hold) 

Isle of Man 

Kendal (on hold) 

Manchester 

Prestwich 

St Helens 

Stockport (on hold) 

Widnes 

Wales 

Cardigan 

Newport 

Pontyclun 

Pontypridd 

Rhondda 

Swansea 

Ystradgynlais 

(on hold) 

(on hold) 

(on hold) 

(on hold) 

South-West England 

Bournemouth (on hold) 

Bristol (on hold) 

Gloucester (on hold) 

Kingsbridge &District 

Mid-Somerset (on hold) 

South West England 

Taunton (on hold) 

Truro 

South-East England 

Aldershot & District 

Amersham 

Ashford, Kent 

Basingstoke 

Brighton 

Canterbury 

Crowborough 

Dover 

Faversham 

Harpenden (on hold) 

H'wards Heath (on hold) 

Hitchin (on hold) 

Isle of Wight (on hold) 

Maidstone 

Marlow/Farnham Common 

Oxford (on hold) 

Pembury (West Kent) 

Rochester 

Salisbury 

Southampton (on hold) 

Thanet 

Worthing (on hold) 

West Midlands 

Birmingham & District 

Newcastle under Lyme 

Shrewsbury 

Stoke on Trent 

Telford 

Warwick 

Whitchurch 

As we go to press, some groups 

may be planning to hold physical 

meetings. 

Find out when and where these 

groups are meeting by checking 

the Support Groups Directory 

online at bit.ly/TSGTT or contact 

us on 0800 018 0527 or 

helpline@tinnitus.org.uk. 

We will ensure these groups have 

the tools to do so safely. 

North-East England 

Chester-le-Street 

Darlington 

Newcastle 

North Tyneside 

Seaham 

Yorkshire & Humber 

Bradford 

Brighouse NEW! 

Keighley 

Rotherham 

Ro'ham Central (on hold) 

Sheffield (on hold) 

York 

East Midlands 

Chesterfield 

Derby 

(on hold) 

Leicester (on hold) 

Lincoln (on hold) 

Northampton 

East of England 

Bury St Edmunds 

Cambridgeshire 

Chelmsford 

Ipswich (on hold) 

King's Lynn 

Lowestoft (on hold) 

North East Essex 

Norwich/Norfolk 

Southend-on-Sea 

London (within M25) 

Bexley 

Boreham Wood 

Bromley 

Chiswick (on hold) 

Greenwich 

Hornchurch 

Isleworth (on hold) 

Kingston 

North London 

Orpington 

Redbridge & Hackney 

Key 

BTA Gold Standard group 

Meeting online

Quiet - Issue 3 2021

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