It’s a hidden condition that can impact daily life and lead to anxiety and depression – yet there is no cure.

One in seven adults in the UK suffer with some level of tinnitus - according to Tinnitus UK - with 1.6million experiencing symptoms classed as ‘severe’.

Now a Skegness man is hoping to make a positive impact on those living with the condition in Lincolnshire.

Graham Ruffle, a Volunteer Support Group Leader for Tinnitus UK, has just set up a new monthly support group in Skegness.

Inset: Graham Ruffle (image supplied). Main image: Pensioners Hall in Skegness (Google)

placeholder image — Inset: Graham Ruffle (image supplied). Main image: Pensioners Hall in Skegness (Google)

A tinnitus sufferer himself, Graham had been travelling all the way to Norfolk to attend a support group there before deciding to create his own.

"Tinnitus is an intrusive noise like a ringing, whistling or buzzing that impacts on your daily life,” he explains. “The constant noise makes it hard to concentrate on other things, which can cause stress, anxiety and depression. It can affect any age, but it’s more common in older people who have suffered some hearing loss.”

Graham said, for many sufferers, there is little to no support after diagnosis. “Doctors tell you there is no cure and simply send you on your way,” he adds. “The meetings offer a chance for people to some together, share their experiences, and learn various methods to cope with it."

Graham’s tinnitus began two years ago, following an ear infection – which took several courses of antibiotics to clear. It was after this that he noticed a whistling sound in his ear.

“I was told I had some hearing loss in one ear and tinnitus in the other,” he recalls. “From that point I was basically left on my own.

"My noise is a high-pitching whistling, like a football referee’s whistle. I’ve got hearing aids which help as I can hear a lot more of the outside world, which helps me to forget about the tinnitus.

“My advice to other sufferers would always be – don’t concentrate on the noise, do something else to take your mind off of it. Go for a walk, listen to the birds, whatever works for you.”

The meetings will be held once a month at Pensioners Hall, in Lincoln Road. The next meeting is on September 11 at 7.15pm.