A TINNITUS sufferer has described living with the condition as “torturous” and feels as if he has been given up on by doctors.

It is estimated that more than 340,000 people in the South West have tinnitus and with about 33,568 people suffering in Dorset.

Thousands of newly diagnosed tinnitus patients are being dismissed and told to ‘just live’ with their tinnitus by GPs – leaving countless of desperate patients feeling deserted – according to The Tinnitus Clinic in London who say there is still a lack of standard practice in both GP and specialist care for tinnitus.

Tinnitus is the term for hearing sounds that come from inside your body, rather than from an outside source.

It’s often described as “ringing in the ears”, although several sounds can be heard, including buzzing, humming, grinding, hissing and whistling.

An estimated seven million people in the UK have experienced tinnitus at one time or another.

Tinnitus accounts for 750, 000 GP visits per year in England and due to the lack of treatment options, 63 per cent of patients who visit their GP are not taken forward for treatment but are told to learn to cope with the condition.

A national GP survey conducted by the NHS National Institute for Health Research and Nottingham University showed majority of GPs admitted to a lack of clear, concise, accessible training on tinnitus management.

Tinnitus affects people of all ages with one in ten experiencing debilitating symptoms such as depression, anxiety and sleep deprivation.

The condition affects around six million people in the UK with about 600,000 experiencing it to a severity affecting their quality of life.

Mark Williams, chief audiologist at The Harley Street Tinnitus Clinic said: “In some of the worst cases, patients have to be hospitalised for their own safety because the incessant noise has led them to contemplate suicide. Research shows that treating people with first signs of tinnitus means a better outcome for them later.”

A tinnitus sufferer from Weymouth, who was diagnosed eight years ago and wanted to remain anonymous, said: “I started hearing a humming sound in my head and it gradually got worse and developed into more of a ringing and buzzing sound.

“There is a huge rate of suicide with people who suffer from tinnitus and I can completely understand. You would do anything to just stop it and get peace of mind.

"I think some people think that because it isn’t a physical pain you can learn to deal with it and no it’s not a physical pain but emotionally it can be torturous.

“I was recommended to join a support group, which I did, and it has helped to an extent. We all try to keep each others spirits up.

“Doctors have tried a few things with me but nothing has worked. I feel like they have just given up on me and it’s just something I have to learn to live with.”

To download the free Tinnitus First Appointment Guide for General Practitioners and information on the new Acute Tinnitus Therapy.

visit thetinnitusclinic.co.uk/downloads/GP_Brochure_Download.pdf