Plymouth Royal Marine in bomb blast calls for more awareness of ‘hidden injury’ – Plymouth Herald

A Royal Marine who nearly died in a bomb blast in Afghanistan is calling for greater awareness of a 'hidden injury' that at times has made his life unbearable.

Harris Tatakis, a former section commander in the Royal Marines, was seriously injured when his Land Rover drove over an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while he was serving in Afghanistan in 2007.

The blast shattered his left leg, broke his right foot, caused brain damage and ruptured both his ear drums.

Ten years after the incident, the veteran has revealed that out of all his horrific injuries, it was an invisible condition that has affected him the most - tinnitus.

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The 39-year-old from Plymouth, who has undergone numerous operations on his leg and treatment for his brain injury, is now calling for greater awareness of the condition.

People affected by tinnitus hear a ringing, hissing or whistling sound in one or both of their ears or head, which is not linked to any external source.

It is often caused by exposure to loud noise or ear or head injuries.

Mr Tatakis said: "Because it's an unseen injury, it doesn't get the attention it warrants.

"There is not enough understanding of how life-limiting tinnitus can be the need for low background noise to distract you combined with constantly keeping yourself occupied to stop your brain focusing on the noises it's being bombarded with, it's hugely tiring.

"Out of all my injuries this is the one that's affected me most."

Now to mark Armed Forces Day - June 24 - Mr Tatakis is keen to raise greater awareness after receiving treatment from The Tinnitus Clinic in Bristol, funded by the Royal British Legion (RBL), which has led to a significant reduction in the intensity of his condition.

He said: "I was in hospital after the explosion and undergoing a lot of surgery.

"I needed to rest as much as possible so I could start to heal and get better.

"But while I was being given morphine for the pain, medication couldn't do anything about the constant ringing in my ears which was affecting my ability to sleep or even try to relax.

"I'm also affected by hyperacusis which means I am very sensitive to loud or high-pitched tones the very noises which are similar to my tinnitus sound so the two conditions often clash and it can become unbearable."

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According to the RBL, one in four Service members returning from conflicts complains of hearing loss and/or tinnitus.

More than 40 per cent said their tinnitus symptoms had a "significant effect" on their quality of life.

Veterans are also more than three times as likely to suffer from hearing loss than the general population, and while many people can use devices and treatments which are available from the NHS, for others a more specialist approach is needed.

Mr Tatakis said: "I have had treatment for my hearing issues at various NHS hospitals in the past which helped get the conditions under control to an extent.

"But last year I went back into hospital for another operation on my leg and afterwards had a bad reaction to the medication and my tinnitus went through the roof.

"It was horrendous and making me feel desperate and I was searching online every day for treatments when I discovered The Tinnitus Clinic. I realised a lot of the treatments they had were exclusive to the UK and decided to see if they could help."

Watch the launch of Armed Forces Day above

Mr Tatakis started treatment at the clinic in January and has received a mixture of Tinnitus Desensitisation Therapy (TDT) and Levo, which uses iPod technology to deliver treatment while he sleeps.

He said: "The treatment has reduced the intensity a lot and brought it back to the level it was before the bad reaction last year. I am able to function a lot better and can live with the level.

"There needs to be much greater understanding of tinnitus and the treatments available.

"People get told all the time there's no cure and while that may well be true, there are treatments out there that can help make it much more manageable and easier to live with."

For further information on The Tinnitus Clinic's multidisciplinary approach call 0203 3261777, visit http://www.thetinnitusclinic.co.uk or e-mail info@thetinnitusclinic.co.uk.

More information on funding from Veterans Hearing Fund (VHF) can be found on http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-support/finances/grants/veterans-medical-funds or by contacting the Royal British Legion.

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Plymouth Royal Marine in bomb blast calls for more awareness of 'hidden injury' - Plymouth Herald