This Tinnitus Week (4-10 February), Charity Action on Hearing Loss wants to make people with Tinnitus aware of the free local support on offer through the charity’s Tinnitus Support Service.

The service can offer confidential one-to-one support, talks to Community groups, Tinnitus Awareness Events and Tinnitus Management courses across Northern Ireland. Funded by the Health & Social Care Board, the service supported more than 200 people in Northern Ireland with Tinnitus between 2017-18. 

Tinnitus, often described as ‘ringing in the ears’, is the perception of sound in the head or ears when no external sound is present. The sound can range from hissing, buzzing, squeaking or whistling. Tinnitus can be experienced for a short time, or can be persistent, with the noise often seeming to become louder at times of stress, or in quiet environments.

Action on Hearing Loss estimates that almost 9,500 people in Northern Ireland experience Tinnitus to such a degree that it severely interrupts their daily lives, impacting on the person’s ability to sleep, work and socialise. 10-20% of the general population experience tinnitus less severely.

To contact the Tinnitus Support Service, phone Aoife McGlinchey (Derry/Londonderry office) at 07951 709923 or Briege Lavery (Belfast office) at 07939 169113. Alternatively email information.nireland@hearingloss.org.uk.

Action on Hearing Loss' Derry/Londonderry office is having a drop in session on Friday 8th February for people to find out more about Tinnitus. It will be held at the office on 3 Strand Road, 1st Floor Embassy Building, Derry, BT48 7BH.

To find out more about Tinnitus and how to manage it visit www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/tinnitusweek

Visit the Health Advice section for more advice on Hearing Problems.