Jamie Laing Speaks out - Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing's tinnitus battle

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Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing has revealed that he suffers from tinnitus, which he has described as ‘debilitating’.

The former TV star, and now podcast host revealed in an interview that he has been suffering with tinnitus for eight years, after being exposed to loud noises at night clubs in his youth.

The 35-year-old took to Instagram to share the news with his followers, to coincide with tinnitus awareness week. He is now spearheading a fundraising campaign for the Royal National Institute for Deaf People to raise funds for more research into the condition.

Jamie Laing speaks out

He said:

“I haven’t heard silence for eight years. The very first time I ever heard tinnitus, I woke up one morning and I got out of bed, and I could hear this ringing noise. This whooshing, ringing noise and I was thinking, looking around, thinking where the hell is this noise coming from.

“Then it suddenly dawned on me that it was inside my own mind, inside my head. That for anyone who has ever experienced tinnitus is a really scary moment.”

Jamie said he went to an audiologist, who then confirmed that he was suffering from the condition. But he “couldn’t believe it was happening to him.”

He explained that when he was filming for Channel 4’s Hunted programme in 2017, he struggled to hear what people were saying to him, and he was left feeling overwhelmed.

“It was so loud, I was like, well this is the moment. This is the moment where tinnitus is going to take over. You want to scream. You want to literally rip your ears off,” he said.

Jamie said he never wore ear protection while he was in loud, nightclub environments and is now warning people to make sure they look after their ears so they are not left in the same position.

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a condition which causes sufferers to hear a noise in their ears or head which does not come from an outside source. Sometimes, the noise will be in one or both ears and can either come and go or be constant.

In some cases, the noise will be temporary and go on its own, but in more serious cases sufferers may need medical treatment.

Tinnitus causes

There are several ways tinnitus can be caused but it is often linked to the following:

Some form of hearing loss
Ménière’s disease
Conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders or multiple sclerosis
Anxiety or depression
Taking certain medicines – tinnitus can be a side effect of some chemotherapy medicines, antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)and aspirin
Exposure to loud noises

What does it sound like?

Tinnitus can sound different from person to person but it is usually described as sounding like the following:

Ringing
Buzzing
Whooshing
Humming
Hissing
Throbbing
Music or singing

What should I do if I think I have tinnitus?

You should arrange an appointment with your GP if:

You have tinnitus regularly or constantly
Your tinnitus is getting worse
Your tinnitus is bothering you – for example, it’s affecting your sleep or concentration or is making you feel anxious and depressed

Tinnitus treatment

There are several treatments available to minimise the effects of tinnitus. This might include earwax removal, sound therapy or hearing aids.

Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing speaks out about tinnitus battle