Charity aims to relieve the burden of tinnitus on sufferers

28 January 2020: The British Tinnitus Association (BTA) are coming to Dundee to highlight the support that is available for people living with tinnitus by holding one of their popular Tinnitus Information Days in the city. The free Tinnitus Information Day will be held at the Apex Hotel, Dundee on Saturday 1 February 2020. Tickets are free.

The day will feature a mix of presentations and interactive taster sessions of tinnitus management techniques. Key speakers include world renowned tinnitus experts Don McFerran and Laurence McKenna.

There are an estimated 16,000 people with tinnitus in Dundee alone, and 600,000 people in Scotland are living with the condition. This equates to an NHS healthcare bill of £63 million per year.

David Stockdale, chief executive of the BTA, said: “Our colleagues at Action on Hearing Loss have conducted research which shows that almost half of patients are not provided with tinnitus information by their GP, and 80% of those who consulted NHS 24 were not given information about tinnitus. Through our free Tinnitus Information Day we hope that as many of these people as possible will benefit from increased knowledge of tinnitus and how to manage the condition as well finding out more about local support.”

David added: “We are also hoping to use this event to encourage the setting up and development of a tinnitus support group – or groups – in Dundee and the surrounding towns. We know that support groups can really help a person lead the best life they can and we would ask that people interested in attending or setting up a group make themselves known to us either on the day or beforehand.”

David concluded: “We have held Tinnitus Information Days all over the UK with great success. Many attendees leave at the end of the day feeling more positive and in a better position to manage their tinnitus. We look forward to welcoming the people of Dundee and helping them towards a life where they no longer feel they are suffering from tinnitus, but are able to live well with it.”

Places on the Tinnitus Information Day are free but limited and refreshments and a light sandwich lunch is included. We ask that attendees register before the event – visit www.tinnitus.org.uk/dundee to secure your place. Partners, friends, interpreters and support workers are also welcome. Alternatively, please contact the BTA events team on 0114 260 9933 or email events@tinnitus.org.uk

Ends

Press contact

Nic Wray, Communications Manager

0114 250 9933

nic@tinnitus.org.uk

Notes to Editors

• The British Tinnitus Association (BTA) is an independent charity that supports over one million people living with tinnitus each year, and advises medical professionals around the world. It is the primary source of support and information for people with tinnitus in the UK.
• Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing noises in your ear or head when there is no external cause. The noise can have virtually any quality including ringing, buzzing, hissing and whistling.
• Around 1 in 3 people will experience tinnitus at some point in their life. Over 7.1 million adults in the UK are living with persistent tinnitus, and for 10% of them, it can severely impact their quality of life, affecting sleep, mood, concentration, employment and relationships.
• There is not currently a cure for tinnitus, however, there are several strategies that can be helpful in learning to manage the condition.
• Tinnitus costs the NHS £750 million annually, with a cost to society of £2.7 billion per year.

Website: www.tinnitus.org.uk

Twitter: @BritishTinnitus

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

The British Tinnitus Association is a registered charity. Registered charity number 1011145.