No, not because I have children! But because I have tinnitus.
A constant ringing or whistling sound that I hear every second of every day.
Sometimes I can tune it out but it can make it difficult to hear low or quiet sounds. My life is not really affected by it so I have never had it medically investigated. My dad has it too so maybe there is a genetic factor.
There is no cure. There are factors that may affect the severity, for example listening to loud music makes it worse in my case (ahhhh those clubbing days) but long term damage could cause tinnitus in those previously unaffected.
It is estimated that 1 in 10 people may have tinnitus to varying degrees but it is possibly much more prevalent if people act like me and don’t report it.
This week is Tinnitus Awareness Week with a particular emphasis on tinnitus in children this year and I just wanted to share this information to raise awareness of the condition.
I have never considered asking my children until this week whether they can hear noises when it is quiet. There may be an underlying cause to tinnitus so if your child reports strange noises or uncomfortable ears then it should be investigated by a medical professional. There is information available about support and management techniques on the British Tinnitus Association’s website.
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