Every one of these gets repeated to us in clinic, and several arrive by way of a GP, a chemist or a hearing shop. They are worth correcting because each one delays treatment.

1. Nothing can be done

The most common and the most damaging. There is no cure that switches tinnitus off, and that is not the same as nothing being available. Structured programs produce measurable reductions in severity, with reported success rates of 75 to 85 per cent for Tinnitus Retraining Therapy.

2. It always gets worse with age

It does not follow a fixed trajectory. Age related hearing change can contribute, but plenty of people find their tinnitus becomes less intrusive over years, particularly with treatment. Expecting deterioration tends to become self fulfilling, because it keeps the signal flagged as threatening.

3. Normal hearing means you cannot have tinnitus

Normal hearing thresholds do not rule out significant tinnitus distress. It is a common and frustrating presentation, and telling someone their audiogram is fine so nothing is wrong is one of the fastest ways to lose them.

4. You just need to mask it

Masking the sound completely feels better immediately and prevents habituation. Sound therapy works at a level where you can still faintly detect your tinnitus. Set it wrong and it works against you.

5. It means something is seriously wrong

In the large majority of cases, no. There are exceptions worth acting on, sudden onset, one ear only, a pulse in time with your heartbeat, tinnitus with dizziness or sudden hearing loss. Those warrant prompt assessment. The rest is not a warning sign.

6. Supplements will fix it

Ginkgo, zinc, magnesium and the various proprietary blends sold online do not have evidence supporting them as tinnitus treatments. If you want to try one, that is your call, but do not let it delay an assessment.

7. It is only a veterans' problem

Tinnitus is one of the most reported service related conditions, and veterans are a group we know well. They are still a minority of the people we treat. Tradespeople, musicians, shift workers, teachers and people with no notable noise exposure at all make up most of our patients.

8. You have to live with it

This is the one that costs the most. Almost everyone we treat was told it at some point, often years before they found their way to a program. Living with it is not the same as being unable to change it.