Man suffering from rare disorder continuously hears national anthem in his head

Ron Goldspink, 87, hears "God Save the Queen" around 1,700 times every week


News Desk November 04, 2017
Ron Goldspink. PHOTO COURTESY: Mail Online

An 87-year-old man in Bilton, England has a medical condition because of which he continuously hears the national anthem in his head.

Ron Goldspink, 87, lives with a rare disorder known as musical ear syndrome, and says he hears "God Save the Queen" around 1,700 times every week., Mail Online reported. The version he hears is sung by a male choir.

He said he hoped to meet Her Majesty when she visits Hull in two weeks' time to tell her that he had heard the national anthem even more times than she had.


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"It started about three or four months ago," said Goldspink.


"I complained about my next door neighbour who I thought was playing music and keeping me awake at night," he added.


'My son complained to the council and when they came down I told them I could hear this music coming from through the wall every night. They went next door and my neighbour said they were not playing anything, and I realised it was just me that could hear it."




PHOTO COURTESY: Mail Online

Goldspink said although it was sung very well, it can at times be "deafening", and was driving him mad.


Musical ear syndrome is a condition where people who have hearing loss develop musical hallucinations. The rare condition affects about one in 10,000 people aged over 65 in the UK.


It also often affects people who already suffer from tinnitus.


"My doctor could not understand it, and had never heard of it before," said Goldspink.


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'There is nothing you can do about it - the only possible way I can get a rest from it is if I put a hearing aid in one ear and have the TV on in the background. That helps me with it, otherwise it deafens me."


Goldspink said he would like to meet the Queen when she visits Hull on November 16.


"I want other people to know what I am living with, and to know about the condition," he said.


"I have no idea what caused it, I just know it is a group of men singing and they sing it very well. I just want people to know that I am not mad, and don't just have something wrong with my head. I am telling the truth, and I hear the national anthem continuously."



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