What is tinnitus

Tinnitus is the perception of hearing a noise when there is no external source. It’s very common, affecting around 6 million people in the UK. Around 80% of cases are diagnosed in people over the age of 40.

Tinnitus can be described as a whooshing, whirring, buzzing, ringing or whining and is often a mix of sounds.

For more information about tinnitus, including how tinnitus may affect you, what happens at a tinnitus appointment, how to manage tinnitus and information on prevention, visit NHS Lothian’s tinnitus information page.

Managing tinnitus

Stress can be a trigger for tinnitus. Learning relaxation techniques like mindful breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and visualisation can help. Watch NHS Lothian’s relaxation video to find out more:

Tinnitus relaxation video

You can also find out more about managing tinnitus on the British Tinnitus Association’s website:

Tinnitus: what can I do about it?

Prevention

Tinnitus can’t always be prevented but there are some things you can do to help protect yourself from developing tinnitus.

Using hearing protection and turning down the volume when you listen to music through headphones can help.

At 85 decibels noise exposure becomes unsafe and you should wear hearing protection. For example a live rock gig can reach volumes of 112 decibels which can cause damage within 66 seconds! (source: plug’em)

Find out more about preventing tinnitus on the British Tinnitus Association’s website:

Tinnitus: how do I prevent it

British Tinnitus Association

The British Tinnitus Association run an Edinburgh and Southeast of Scotland tinnitus support group for people living in or near Edinburgh.

Visit the British Tinnitus Association website for useful information on tinnitus or contact their Helpline on 0800 018 0527.

RNID

Visit the tinnitus page on the RNID website for useful information or contact their Tinnitus Helpline on 0808 808 6666.

Find more information and contacts for services across Edinburgh by selecting from the options below.