I talked to a man the other day who turned out to be a Qugong Master. He is a healer of the spirit. I looked it up because hearing and its associated conditions can be healed spiritually.
The condition called tinnitus is often associated with hearing. The medical profession has little clue about it yet feedback from sufferers of extreme Tinnitus persuaded hospitals to open tinnitus clinics across south-east England. It was also helped by a social enterprise in Hampshire, now defunct, called Hearing Direct. They were ex-Social Service and grew awareness of tinnitus. However their therapy was a payable extension of that offered on the the NHS for free and with a change of boss came a backward step in thinking. The new broom needed to be someone with an awareness of budgets with an open-mindedness to outsource tinnitus and hearing therapy to the social enterprise sector to get better treatment. What lottery chance was it? 1 in 50,000 of getting a like-minded individual? The coin didn't fall their way and the NHS in that area went back to the Stone Age. Funding issues was cited, the old chestnut. I don't believe it.
Doctors are not trained in tinnitus. It is up to you to tell them. Tinnitus can be lessened by contentment. Is tinnitus sent to try us? To make us more empathetic with other people? Or is it a physical result of body trauma? Is it sinus-related or stress? It is all of those things which is why we need Healers and traditional Doctors
A professor at the Royal ENT Hospital in London has written a book on tinnitus with European colleagues. A readable academic book. How great is that?! In 2009 at an Audiologists’ Day at RNID he tried to roll out tinnitus. He tried to tell them how prevalent it is and what they could do to overcome it. They were NHS audiologists and stared blankly. There was no discussion after his talk. Were they all in shock? Or was it the wrong audience?
A man who has so much to give, the Qugong Master, is moving to a place in Devon, full of people looking for contentment after a lifetime of work. There will be a lot of people with tinnitus and some who think they have a hearing issue with it. Often that is because the noises you hear – high-pitched or low – make it difficult to hear what people are saying.
Contentment breeds calm. Calm can quiet the unwelcome sounds. We do not describe them as they are individual to you. If yours is entirely different to your neighbour, it is down to the shape and form of your ears. You may both have it. It can be temporary. Do you meditate? Would that suppress the tinnitus? I have the Qugong Master’s email. I cannot use it. I can just hope that he decides to help towards the cure.
In the meantime, think me crazy and most of my DLA clients did, do something you love every day of your life. A book, staring at how the sun falls on a place in your house, a painting, a street light, gardening, cycling etc. Whatever you like doing, take a minute to 'stop and stare'. (John Betjeman). Breed your own contentment.