Groups raise awareness and money to support Bendigo sufferers this Tinnitus Awareness Week

And this week, health organisations are hoping to make sure the community is more aware of this often debilitating condition.

As the Deaf Hub Bendigo senior youth officer and sufferer herself, Shanleigh Meldrum is hoping this will bring people together to talk about their struggles.

"I was diagnosed with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss when I was four," she said.

"I have always had tinnitus from a young age but it didn't start to impact my life more until my significant drops in hearing at 15 and 24."

Tinnitus is a condition that causes noises, hisses, or humming sounds in the ear sometimes or constantly, and commonly known as 'ringing in the ears'.

MORE NEWS: Stargazers search the sky as green comet comes into view

For many, tinnitus can have serious physical, emotional and mental health consequences, and at this stage, there's no cure.

They can be left feeling helpless, unsure where to go when they need someone to talk to or help them find the right support.

"It gets worse with stress, when I take particular medications or if I am in noisy environments for prolonged periods of time," Ms Meldrum said.

"I first sought help to manage my tinnitus eight years ago and have undertaken audiological testing to better understand my condition, counselling, tinnitus retraining therapy, tinnitus masking, lifestyle changes and joined online support groups.

"Although I still live with my tinnitus every day, by having a better understanding of how it impacts me and management strategies I have been able to reduce how much it impacts my life."

During Tinnitus Awareness Week - which runs from February 6 to 13 - organisations such as Soundfair and Tinnitus Australia are hoping raise funds and create a dedicated helpline to ensure people with tinnitus get the help they need, when they need it.

"Being told that there's nothing to be done to help with your tinnitus is both devastating and dangerous," Soundfair and Tinnitus Australia chief executive Dr Caitlin Barr said.

OTHER STORIES:

"Having a central, accessible helpline will ensure anyone with tinnitus who needs to talk and find the right help, gets what they need."

Ms Meldrum hopes events such as Tea for Tinnitus, which the hub held on February 9, will act as a form of support for sufferers in the region.

"A lot of people I meet experience tinnitus but they never know there is a name for what they are experiencing or management options available," she said.

"I have had people tell me they feel like they are going crazy hearing sounds all the time.

"By meeting others experiencing the same thing they often feel a sense of relief that they aren't alone.

"There are no dedicated Tinnitus clinics here in Australia like there is in the UK so you have to do a lot of research to find the organisations and professionals that provide different management options here.

"Hopefully this helpline will make this process easier."

Ms Meldrum said the Deaf Hub Bendigo was also a place people could seek help.

"We welcome anyone who experiences tinnitus to reach out to us and we can link them with support services or others experiencing the condition," she said.

"People can also talk to an audiologist that specialises in Tinnitus or a counsellor as there are many management options out there."

You can contact Deaf Hub Bendigo on 0413 855 214 or email info@deafhubbendigo.org.au

Digital subscribers now have the convenience of faster news, right at your fingertips with the Bendigo Advertiser app. Click here to download.