For Jack Bridge, the world became a noisier \u2013 and far more distressing \u2013 place five years ago.<\/p>\n
During a bout of Covid, the marketing executive from Stockport had been listening to music on his headphones to help him fall asleep, as he often did. But this time, when he switched it off, a low humming noise remained.<\/p>\n
It was still there when he awoke the following morning \u2013 and the day after that.<\/p>\n
Over the next few months the sound evolved until Jack, then just 20, found himself plagued by multiple noises at once.<\/p>\n
\u2018There was the humming in the background and then this hissing sound too, almost like a leaky gas pipe,\u2019 says Jack. \u2018It was constant, there was no let-up. I\u2019d be fine if I was in the pub, in a loud environment, but as soon as I stepped into a quieter street or into an empty room, the noise would become unbearable.<\/p>\n
\u2018Being near things like a microwave or a hoover would aggravate it.<\/p>\n
\u2018It had a huge impact on my life. My sleep suffered, and although it was easier to distract myself in a busy office, it made deadlines much harder to manage.\u2019<\/p>\n
Jack is one of around seven million people in the UK living with tinnitus \u2013 a little-understood condition that causes ringing, buzzing, hissing or roaring in one or both ears.<\/p>\n
![\"Jack](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/04\/19\/11\/107987231-15744311-Jack_Bridge_began_suffering_tinnitus_after_a_bout_of_Covid_promp-m-16_1776593886469.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nJack Bridge began suffering tinnitus after a bout of Covid, prompting attempts to find a solution<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
![\"One](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/04\/19\/11\/107987243-15744311-One_of_the_devices_developed_with_Jack_s_help_which_transmits_ti-m-17_1776593896261.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nOne of the devices, developed with Jack’s help,which transmits tiny vibrations<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
These sounds are not caused by any external source, and many people experience tinnitus temporarily, often due to ear infections, earwax build-up or Meniere\u2019s disease \u2013 a chronic inner ear disorder that can also cause vertigo.<\/p>\n
But for around 1.5 million people, like Jack, the condition has a significant impact. These more persistent cases are often linked to age-related hearing loss, or noise damage from machinery, headphones or loud music.<\/p>\n
Jack believes that his Covid infection triggered his symptoms. Some evidence suggests the virus may worsen existing tinnitus or, in some cases, lead to new onset \u2013 though the exact reasons remain unclear.<\/p>\n
Treatments tend to focus on managing symptoms.<\/p>\n
Talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness, can help patients cope, while devices have been developed that can be used to mask the internal noise with white noise or other background sounds.<\/p>\n
The aim is gradual \u2018habituation\u2019 \u2013 in other words, helping the brain learn to tune out the tinnitus so it is less intrusive.<\/p>\n
But the idea of simply learning to live with it was not something Jack could accept.<\/p>\n
\u2018It wasn\u2019t just the discomfort of the noise, it was the anxiety that came with it,\u2019 he says. \u2018I kept thinking, \u201cI\u2019m only 20 \u2013 what will this be like in my 40s or 50s?\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/04\/19\/11\/107987239-15744311-A_transmitter_under_the_pillow_is_designed_so_not_to_disturb_a_s-m-19_1776593926254.jpg\"){kind=spacer}
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nA transmitter under the pillow is designed so not to disturb a sleeping partner<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
![\"For](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2026\/04\/18\/13\/107987247-15744311-image-m-4_1776515855414.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nFor day use, another of the Sonovo devices is worn on a pair of glasses<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Today, Jack\u2019s tinnitus no longer dominates his life in the same way after he adopted sound enrichment therapy.<\/p>\n
This involves introducing a constant, low-level external sound \u2013 such as white noise \u2013 via a hearing aid, speaker or device, to help distract the brain and make the tinnitus less prominent.<\/p>\n
Over time, the brain can begin to filter out the internal noise \u2013 much like how people can ignore the steady hum of a fridge or traffic.<\/p>\n
Jack, who struggled most at night, was initially given an in-ear device by specialists that played waterfall sounds. But he found it uncomfortable to sleep with.<\/p>\n
So he turned to a simpler solution \u2013 a fan.<\/p>\n
\u2018For four years, I had a fan on almost constantly,\u2019 he says. \u2018At one point I couldn\u2019t enter a silent room \u2013 I always needed some kind of background noise.<\/p>\n
\u2018Now I feel very fortunate. I\u2019ve got through the worst of it, and I only really think about it if it comes up in conversation \u2013 even though it\u2019s technically still there.\u2019<\/p>\n
The scientific evidence for sound therapy is mixed. A major review by the Cochrane Collaboration found no strong evidence that it significantly overcomes tinnitus compared with other approaches.<\/p>\n
However, many patients report that it reduces distress, improves sleep and offers short-term relief.<\/p>\n