Choice Blog

Mindfulness therapy helped cope with tinnitus

Ever since he fitted the burglar alarm in his daughter's house and it suddenly went off, 59 year old Colin Philpott has had a loud hissing noise in his right ear.

For the previous two years he had experiences a build up of wax in his ears an had had them syringed twice at his local surgery in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex.

It was in January 2016 that Colin, the sales manager for a pet accessories firm, developed tinnitus after fitting the alarm.

He says: "I've had ringing in my ears ever since. Initially it was so bad I had to take time off work. My GP thought I might have an ear infection and gave me drips to put in. When the condition didn't improve. I went to see another doctor privately who thought I had glue ear and put me on a course of decongestants, but these made little difference.

"In the November, I went to the Springfield Hospital in Chelmsford where I had and MRI scan and a hearing test. It was there that and ENT consultant told me I had some hearing loss and was suffering from tinnitus. When I mentioned this to a local GP, he said 'it will drive you mad'"

Colin searched the internet for help and came across the British Tinnitus Association's helpline, He says: "They are the only ones who understand what is happening to you. On the whole I found the medical profession were quite dismissive. The BTA helpline told me there was going to be a support group meeting in Bromley, Kent, and I decided to attend.

"I'm so pleased that I did because I learnt much more about tinnitus and it prompted me to get a referral to the audiology clinic at Bromfield Hospital in Chelmsford. The staff were understanding of the condition and talked about things I could do to help me cope with my tinnitus. I learnt that on average it takes people two years to come to terms with it, so I am well on my way." In the spring, Colin and his wife Margaret attended a tinnitus open day in Lonson run by the BTA.

"I heard Dr Laurence McKenna talk about how CBT and mindfulness can help." This summer Colin began an eight weel mindfulness based cognitive behavioural therapy course at Dr McKenna's clinic. 

"Just knowing that the high pitched dog whistle in my ear is due to something going on in my brain and that my tinnitus began because my hearing has deteriorated, is reassuring. My job involves a lot of driving and fortunately that distracts me fom the unwanted noise in my head, but when I go to bed I go to sleep wit the radio app on.

"My tinnitus is worst first thing in the morning when my senses switch back on. Then it's like having loud screaming in my ear. I find it becomes more intrusive when I get stressed about my elderly mother who had dementia. I then try to do things that help calm me, like gardening or DIY.

"I would say to anyone with this condition: "don't despair, there is help out there and ignore those who say nothing can be done. You are not alone and that one in ten of us has it."

Have you had a similar experience? Want to share your story with others? 

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