Why it matters: One in seven adults in the UK lives with tinnitus – a condition causing ringing, buzzing, or hissing in the ears – with 1.5 million people experiencing severe symptoms.
The big picture: The report by Tinnitus UK, released for Tinnitus Week (3-9 February), reveals that 60% of doctors cannot offer standard levels of care due to staffing shortages.
What they're saying: "I am deeply concerned by these findings. Too many people with tinnitus are being left to suffer, with little or no support," says Karen Finch, Audiologist and Co-Director at All About Hearing in Ipswich.
We regularly see patients in our clinics who have been told there's nothing that can be done or who have spent years waiting for help.
By the numbers:
8 million people will be affected by tinnitus in the UK by the end of 2025
36 per cent of private audiologists consider tinnitus care a low priority
Patients wait over 12 months and up to 3 years for hearing aid assistance and psychological therapies
1 in 10 sufferers with no obvious cause may have 'hidden hearing loss' – damage to the nerve carrying sound signals to the brain – which standard hearing tests might miss
Managing the condition: All About Hearing in Ipswich offers multidisciplinary support, working with a local ENT specialist and cognitive behavioural therapy practitioners to help manage the condition.
"Whilst we are not tinnitus specialists, we work with the condition on a daily basis, helping to identify if an individual's tinnitus is linked to an underlying hearing loss, alongside providing help and support for how to best manage the condition," says Finch.
Research shows that while CBT cannot stop the tinnitus itself, it can reduce distress and improve quality of life, leading to reduced symptom intensity.
The bottom line: While local support is available through private clinics, the report highlights critical NHS waiting times and calls for improved training, guidelines, and service provision for tinnitus care.
