Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Counselling

Do you hear ringing, rushing noise, cicadas or some other type of noise in your ears? It may be intermittent, constant, loud or quiet, present in one ear or both. Some people hear multiple sounds throughout the day. This is called tinnitus and is present in approximately 20% of the Australian population.

If we measured the level of tinnitus it would actually be very soft but when there are no extraneous sounds around us, like at night, it can be very noticeable and bothersome for some. Hyperacusis is an increased sensitivity to certain everyday sounds, which may be perceived as uncomfortably loud, painful, frightening or annoying.

There are a few different theories for the physiological pathway of tinnitus and hyperacusis. We believe there has been a change in ear health somewhere along the hearing pathway from the cochlea in the inner ear to the brain. It may be caused by hearing loss, exposure to loud noise, medication and some illnesses.

Hearing devices or sound therapy along with counselling, relaxation techniques and sleep management can be very helpful in managing tinnitus and hyperacusis.

The majority of tinnitus sufferers have at least some degree of hearing loss and therefore a diagnostic hearing assessment by a fully qualified Audiologist is strongly recommended.

Click here to make an appointment at AudioLogic Hearing or call 03 9754 4162.