Events

February: Tinnitus Awareness Week

Tinnitus Awareness Week, held globally in the first week of February, shines a light on tinnitus symptoms and their impact on daily life.
.

We hosted a free webinar titled ‘Tinnitus Unveiled’ during the 2025 Tinnitus Awareness Week.

Participants heard from expert audiologists: Myriam Westcott and Ben Hoddinott, as well as lived experience consumer advocate Victoria Didenko.

As we continue to raise awareness and challenge the stigma surrounding tinnitus, we hope this webinar helped shine a light on the realities of living with the condition. Remember, tinnitus may be unseen and unheard, but by sharing stories, knowledge, and support, we can ensure it is no longer ignored.

Webinar Resources

About The Speakers

1. Myriam Westcott

 Myriam Westcott is an Audiologist and Director of DWM Audiology, a private Audiology clinic based in Melbourne, Australia.

DWM Audiology is a leading tinnitus and hyperacusis clinic in Australia, which is renowned internationally.  Myriam specialises in tinnitus, hyperacusis, acoustic shock, tensor tympani syndrome (TTS) and misophonia understanding, evaluation and therapy.  She is committed to the development of innovative and effective clinical approaches to therapy and treatment, working closely with a range of health/medical professionals in a multidisciplinary setting.  Myriam has carried out clinically based hyperacusis, acoustic shock and TTS published research, provides medico-legal opinions and regularly gives presentations, lectures, training, articles and interviews on tinnitus, hyperacusis, acoustic shock and misophonia.  Myriam has been a member of the Advisory Committee for Tinnitus Australia (now Tinnitus Awareness), provides support to the Tinnitus Association of Victoria and is on the scientific committee for the International Conference on Hyperacusis and Misophonia.

2. Ben Hoddinott

Ben is a clinical audiologist with 20 years of experience working with many leading ENTs on complex hearing cases. After graduating from the University of Queensland’s Masters of Audiology Studies program he worked as a clinician, regional manager and clinical services manager for Neurosensory for his first 6 years. A move to Melbourne prompted a move to Cochlear where be worked in 2011 and 2012 as the Clinical Specialist for Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand. A highlight of this time was working with the world-leading cochlear implant program at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. In 2012 Ben returned to Brisbane to take on the Chief Operating Officer position with Neurosensory. During the following decade he led the growth of the company into eventually becoming the largest independent audiology provider in Australia.

In 2022, Ben and his wife Jess started their own independent audiology clinic in Brisbane’s idyllic bayside suburb of Wynnum. The Little Hearing Co. aims to raise the standards of hearing care in his local community and through partnerships with other leading clinicians, improve access to expert hearing care for the wider community.

Ben is a father of two young boys and enjoys playing music, cooking, cricket and soccer.

3. Victoria Didenko

Victoria has had tinnitus for eleven years. She lives in Melbourne and is a proud mother of two adult sons. She has worked as an actress, voice over recordist and enjoys swimming and hiking to keep fit and calm. She has recently taken up writing short stories and singing in a local choir. Victoria helped establish Tinnitus Awareness and has launched several campaigns to raise awareness of the plight of those who suffer tinnitus.

Additional Resources

 

Ringing the Alarm: The Tinnitus Care Crisis

To mark International Tinnitus Awareness Week, we are pleased to support the release of a comprehensive new report: “Ringing the Alarm: The Tinnitus Care Crisis.”

This report by Tinnitus UK highlights alarming shortcomings in tinnitus care and professional training in the U.K. However, the challenges faced by those with tinnitus are not unique to the U.K.; they are also relevant to Australia, where an estimated 2.4 million people experience tinnitus.

Sonja Jones, Clinical Audiology Specialist and the report’s lead author, said the report highlights an urgent need for change.

“Prolonged delays for diagnosis and treatment are leaving millions of patients without the support they need, exacerbating mental health issues and straining healthcare services.”

Alex Brooks-Johnson, CEO of Tinnitus U.K., estimated that 8 million people will be affected by tinnitus in the U.K. by the end of 2025.

“Tinnitus UK is calling on the UK’s hearing healthcare sector to collaborate to elevate tinnitus care so we can help to alleviate patient distress and reduce escalating healthcare costs.”

Relevance to Australia

In Australia, tinnitus affects a significant portion of the population. About one-quarter of the workforce experiences tinnitus, including half a million with constant symptoms. The Australian context shares similar challenges, such as the need for improved professional training and adherence to best practices in tinnitus care.

Lessons and Actions for Australia

  1. Enhanced Professional Training: Implementing mandatory tinnitus-specific training in Australian audiology programs can ensure graduates are better equipped to manage tinnitus effectively.
  2. Adherence to Best Practices: Encouraging all audiology clinics to adhere to established guidelines and standards can improve the consistency and quality of care.
  3. Public Awareness and Education: Raising awareness about tinnitus and its impact can help reduce stigma and encourage those affected to seek help early.
  4. Collaboration Across Sectors: Collaboration between healthcare providers, educators, and policymakers is crucial to addressing the growing public health issue of tinnitus in Australia.

Calls to Action

  • Full Adherence to Guidelines: Encourage all Australian audiology clinics to follow established best practices or refer patients to experienced providers for tinnitus care.
  • Mandatory Tinnitus Training: Implement tinnitus-specific training in university audiology programs.
  • Accredited Continuing Professional Development (CPD): Ensure all hearing care professionals can access accredited CPD opportunities.
  • Wider Adoption of Resources: Promote the use of free resources and tools by healthcare practitioners to enhance tinnitus care.

By learning from the U.K.’s experiences and implementing these strategies, Australia can improve tinnitus care, reduce patient distress, and alleviate the strain on healthcare services. Failure to address disparities in tinnitus care across both the U.K. and Australia risks exacerbating patient distress, overburdening healthcare systems, and perpetuating health inequalities.

Go to Tinnitus UK to register to receive your copy of the full report.

What’s that buzzing?

Tinnitus is the perception of noise or ringing in the ear and 20 percent of people experience it. It’s not actually a condition, but a symptom of underlying conditions. These can be age-related, related to hearing loss, ear injury, or a circulatory system disorder. The symptoms include ringing, buzzing, clicking, roaring, hissing, or humming in the ear and it varies depending on the person. In many cases, tinnitus goes away on its own. However, that doesn’t mean you should wait for weeks, months, or even years for your tinnitus to disappear. If your tinnitus continues for more than a couple of weeks and negatively affects your quality of life, consult an audiologist.

Free resources

Tinnitus First Aid Kit, developed with the British Tinnitus Association, is a website full of useful advice and information for people newly diagnosed with tinnitus

Tinnitus Thermometer is a PDF or online questionnaire that you can use to assess how your clients are experiencing tinnitus at a given moment – and over time

Tinnitus Communication Guide suggests some useful questions and communication tips to help you understand your client, express empathy, and give hope

Videos that will help you understand and give you options to address Tinnitus.

These webcasts are provided by Tinnitus U.K., a charitable organisation that offers advice and resources about tinnitus.

There are several free videos about tinnitus > Free webinars.

There are other videos here that can be purchased (the cost is under 3 pounds in English currency) > Paid webinars.

Why is Tinnitus Awareness important?

It’s under-researched

There are many advancements being made, but tinnitus is still under-researched. Surgical implants and alternative medicines could help, but without the proper research, it won’t be as effective as it should be.

Fight against the stigma

Many people are embarrassed to admit that they have tinnitus. It’s such a personal and seemingly subjective concern that talking about it makes some feel silly and it shouldn’t. It should be discussed with healthcare professionals if it affects your way of life. The embarrassment needs to end.

It affects so many

Tinnitus affects millions of people and that should be brought up more, not hidden away and forgotten about. Because they’re symptoms and not conditions themselves, it’s easier to brush it off, but the condition could be worse, and getting it checked out could prolong your life.

Chris has never known silence

As far back as he can remember his life has been governed by the incessant background sound of tinnitus.

“Its (tinnitus) intensity varied. I only noticed it when my day was quiet, when I stopped, or when someone mentioned it, and then it would take over my whole thoughts. I could not run from it. And even if I ran, exercise only replaced it with noisy breathing and a pounding pulse.

“Like many of my relatives, I started to lose hearing in one ear. The hearing in my other ear was normal. I was told it was nerve deafness and a hearing aid would not help. Later, I was offered a cochlear implant but I’d had so much surgery in other areas that I could not even bear the thought of having more.

“My hearing got worse. Suddenly, I realised I could no longer detect where a sound came from. I had lost directional hearing. ‘I am here’, they’d say. ‘Thanks very much. Where’s that?’, I would reply.

“Then the vertigo attacks came…. intermittently, then frequently until I had the trio of tinnitus, vertigo and deafness. I had to leave my job as I was getting an attack of vertigo every two days. I could not read for more than 60 minutes a day. It was torture.

“I sought help, as just being stoic was not enough. My doctors were kind but blunt. ‘It’s not a cancer, it’s not a tumour, it’s not Alzheimer’s, although you’re old enough for it.’ Thank you’, I said. But they said that they would do what they could for me. They could progressively use a series of treatments until I responded. After 18 months since the surgery, the vertigo stopped. The medication and time finally helped.

“I’ve got my life back now. The tinnitus is still there and I’m still deaf in one ear but I know the benefit of distraction, of background noise and the use of mindfulness.

“I’m told that many people have tinnitus, and one of my colleagues did a study where he placed people in an ultra-quiet room and detected that 25 per cent of people will have tinnitus. For me, it was obvious since I was a child.”