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I don't know what caused my tinnitus, but I started to become aware of a very low ringing noise in my right ear, which is now constantly there.

As anyone who has tinnitus knows, it's not something that you can ignore, and you have to deal with it on a daily basis.

I am going slightly deaf in my right ear. It's tinnitus... something like that.

Nothing is going to improve my hearing. I've only got to prevent it from getting worse.

I carry out my full duties as Deputy First Minister and accept I have tinnitus but appreciate the hearing that I do have and that it does not limit me in a professional or personal capacity.

Looking after your ears is unfortunately something you don't think about until there's a problem.

One of my sensory problems was hearing sensitivity, where certain loud noises, such as a school bell, hurt my ears. It sounded like a dentist drill going through my ears.

I'm still getting used to changing earrings - It still feels really weird to be pushing bits of metal through holes in my earlobes that weren't there a few weeks back, and actually seeing and feeling the holes in my lobes is still a bit freaky.

I can't be quiet, as that's when I notice the ringing in my ears.

I'm half deaf. I have nerve damage and a constant ringing in both of my ears, and there are certain times and conditions when I can hardly hear at all.