As part of Tinnitus Awareness Week (6th–12th Feb), health professionals from Aintree University Hospital have worked with a local GP to identify ways to make the most of the often short consulting period available to patients in primary care. 

It is thought that by asking several key questions the outcomes for the 10 per cent of the population living with tinnitus will be greatly improved.

Tony Kay, Head of Audiology Services at Aintree University Hospital, developed the toolkit with Christopher Dowrick, Professor of Primary Medical Care at the University of Liverpool and GP at the Aintree Park Group practice.

Christopher Dowrick said: “GP patients spend an average of 10 minutes with their doctor, so we have created an eight minute primary care tinnitus consultation that should help gather key information that can be used to diagnose and manage this condition.”

Tony Kay said: “There is no definitive cure for tinnitus at present, but it is not enough to just tell a patient to learn to live with it. Modern treatments help the patient manage their tinnitus and they are able to live well with it.”

Tinnitus is defined as the perception of sound, commonly ringing, whistling and buzzing, in the absence of any related external noise. According to the British Tinnitus Association, about half of patients with tinnitus find it moderately or severely distressing. This group of patients is most at risk of suffering anxiety, stress or depression as a result.

Staff at Aintree University Hospital’s Audiology department look at different areas of the patient’s life, not just the tinnitus. They identify other issues that may affect the condition such as lifestyle and other physical problems.

Tony Kay said: “Each patient is different. We ask our patients what a life well lived looks like to them. This will differ greatly between a 17 year old student going to busy environments like lecture theatres and the local pub and a 65 year old grandmother entertaining friends at home.

“By understanding the lifestyles of our patients, we can offer tailored advice to help them manage the condition.”

The hospital runs a monthly Tinnitus Support Group for patients to meet and share their experience and knowledge.

David Stockdale, Chief Executive of the British Tinnitus Association, said: “Aintree’s Tinnitus Support Group is an excellent example of how an Audiology-led group can really benefit local people. Speaking to members of the group the help and support they receive is very highly valued and they are proud to have such a service available locally. The distance some travel to the group is also a measure of how well received and necessary the service is.”

Dr Dominic Bray, Consultant Clinical Health Psychologist, Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, is part of the Aintree Audiology team, and uses a similar “solution-focused” approach to tinnitus as he uses to help patients live with chronic pain. He said: ”By taking a solution-focused approach, which can help with tinnitus and a number of other conditions, we have seen patients turn their lives around and often become their own best therapist.”

The theme of Tinnitus Awareness Week 2012 is “raising awareness in Primary Care.” For more information about, visit www.tinnitus.org.uk/taw2012 

The Eight Minute Primary Care Tinnitus Consultation is available to download from here.