Tinnitus Treatment - Getting Help When You Need It

If you have tinnitus, or would like to learn more about it, there are lots of different ways you can find out more and get help.

• How to contact professionals who deal with tinnitus.
• What sort of professional help you can expect to get.
• How to find out more yourself.

Remember, you can always take a friend, relative or partner with you to any appointments you have. They can help you remember what you were told about tinnitus, ask questions and raise concerns of their own. If they understand about tinnitus it can help them to give you support.

Getting Professional Advice

Most people who are troubled by tinnitus would rather seek expert help than just read about it (if you want to read up on it to learn more, get hold of the tinnitus miracle report). This is very sensible and there are two main ways of doing this in the UK.

• Private clinics.
• The National Health Service (NHS).

 Getting Help Privately


Many consultants divide their time working between the NHS and private clinics, so you may well see the same people whichever option you choose. With private treatment you have more of a choice about when you see a consultant, and where, but you will of course have to pay and you may have to travel further to see them.

If you decide to consult a tinnitus expert privately you will find that different clinics have different arrangements for patients to be 'referred' to them. You will need to consult your GP first to get a referral. Most tinnitus experts will only take referrals from an ear, nose and throat (ENT) consultant or audiological physician - this could be someone you have seen privately or via the NHS. If you have private health insurance, it is sensible to check first to find out if it will cover treatment for tinnitus and what kind of treatment.

If you do not have private health insurance it is important to find out the cost of the consultation with the doctor and the cost of further investigations, such as hearing tests and scans, as well as the cost of any tinnitus treatment the consultant may recommend.

Getting Help On The NHS


The NHS service varies depending on where you live. Some areas have specialist tinnitus centers or clinics in their hospitals. Some areas may offer a limited tinnitus service, or in some cases, no tinnitus service at all. Your local hospital will be able to let you know about the services it provides and the RNID Tinnitus Helpline can tell you about services across the country. Getting an NHS appointment may sometimes involve delays and waiting lists, so be prepared to wait.