A blog presenting the available evidence for Tinnitus treatments for a non-specialist audience, touching on issues of critical thinking skills and skepticism.
I am a qualified and registered Hearing Therapist and Chief Audiologist working both within the NHS and privately. My private practice can be found at www.hearingtherapy.net
Treatment Uncertainties in Tinnitus - James Lind Alliance Study
Sun, Jan 8 2012 09:56
| Tinnitus Research
Deafness Research UK invites you to take part in the JLA Tinnitus SurveySETTING THE PRIORITIES FOR TINNITUS RESEARCHDespite ongoing research activity in the UK and other countries, there are still so many questions about tinnitus assessment, diagnosis and treatment that remain unanswered. These unanswered questions will form the basis of future research and so it is important that we understand which
Comments
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy and Current Practice
Mon, Nov 22 2010 04:48
| TrT, Treatments
Before the advent of Pavel Jastreboff's Neurophysiological model of Tinnitus it could be said that the treatment of Tinnitus was in quite a poor state. Patients routinely received negative counselling from GP's and ENT Surgeons, e.g. 'There's nothing we can do, you just have to learn to live with it'. Not infrequently any interventions that were tried proved to be unhelpful or even harmful. For example
Bad Tinnitus Forum
Mon, Nov 22 2010 04:17
| News
You may or may not have noticed that the forum is gone. This is mainly because I have no time to administer it, but also because it was mostly populated by spam, despite frequent weeding.I'm pleased to say that I've heard the British Tinnitus Association will shortly be launching a forum of its own with expert moderation. I've been moaning to the RNID for a while now that there discussion board is
Ear Woo in the NHS
Mon, Sep 13 2010 04:48
It has been quite a while since I managed to find time to blog sadly. Too many irons in too many fires. But this particular event is worth a bit of a chuckle.As an NHS Audiologist specialising in Tinnitus and a Skeptic I don't take too kindly to nonsensical exploitative treatments wherever I find them (low level laser therapy, I'm looking at you...). But I have never had to deal with them in my own
BCA gives up case against Simon Singh
Fri, Apr 16 2010 07:01
So here is his original article in full. The fight for libel reform is not over, please sign the petition found here:http://www.libelreform.org/ Simon SinghThe Guardian, Saturday 19 April 2008Article historyThis is Chiropractic Awareness Week. So let's be aware. How about some awareness that may prevent harm and help you make truly informed choices? First, you might be surprised to know that the founder
Current Workload
Fri, Apr 2 2010 10:27
I'm currently working on:1 article for BAA magazine for the BSA1 of series of articles for the BTA magazine 'Quiet' on CAM treatmentsRe-writing the Tinnitus Update for Audiologists for the BTADeveloping the national Quality Evaluation Tool for Advanced Adult RehabilitationTwo lectures for the European Tinnitus CourseResearch programme for DEFRADeveloping www.sheffieldindustrialhearing.co.ukSeeing patients
Simon Singh wins his Bogus Adventure vs the BCA
Thu, Apr 1 2010 11:11
| Simon Singh, Bogus, Evidence, BCA
In a wonderful decision delivered at 9.30 this morning the three most senior judges in the country have overturned the previous ruling on meaning in the case of Simon Singh vs the British Chiropractic Association.Mr Justice Eady had ruled that Simon's use of the word 'bogus' was a statement of fact and inferred that the BCA was knowingly promoting ineffective treatments. Today it has been decided that
Slight Change of Focus
It has been brought to my attention by a kind friend that posts on this blog have been rather few and far between. This has been for a number of reasons, chief of which is time.
When I set out to produce this blog my intention was to make it a resource for Tinnitus patients and professionals to enable them to review the evidence base for Tinnitus treatments and decide for themselves about their efficacy. To that end each post required I perform as thorough a literature review as possible, summarise each paper and write a conclusion. I still intend to do this when I get the chance but it is just not practical to do this regularly.
When I set out to produce this blog my intention was to make it a resource for Tinnitus patients and professionals to enable them to review the evidence base for Tinnitus treatments and decide for themselves about their efficacy. To that end each post required I perform as thorough a literature review as possible, summarise each paper and write a conclusion. I still intend to do this when I get the chance but it is just not practical to do this regularly.
10:23 Boots Homeopathy Campaign
Sat, Jan 30 2010 09:25
Following on from the excellent open letter to Boots from the Merseyside Skeptics there is a national campaign running today to shame Boots into doing the right thing.Approximately 300 people around the country are taking part in a group homeopathic 'overdose' using 30C preparations of arsenic, nux vomica etc. Of course as this is a homeopathic preparation at 30C there are no actual molecules of the
Boots BS Baffles Brains - Excellent Open Letter from Merseyside Skeptics Society
Thu, Nov 26 2009 10:36
| Pseudo Science, Evidence
An Open Letter to Alliance Boots
The Boots brand is synonymous with health care in the United Kingdom. Your website speaks proudly about your role as a health care provider and your commitment to deliver exceptional patient care. For many people, you are their first resource for medical advice; and their chosen dispensary for prescription and non-prescription medicines. The British public trusts Boots.
However, in evidence given recently to the Commons Science and Technology Committee, you admitted that you do not believe homeopathy to be efficacious. Despite this, homeopathic products are offered for sale in Boots pharmacies – many of them bearing the trusted Boots brand.
The Boots brand is synonymous with health care in the United Kingdom. Your website speaks proudly about your role as a health care provider and your commitment to deliver exceptional patient care. For many people, you are their first resource for medical advice; and their chosen dispensary for prescription and non-prescription medicines. The British public trusts Boots.
However, in evidence given recently to the Commons Science and Technology Committee, you admitted that you do not believe homeopathy to be efficacious. Despite this, homeopathic products are offered for sale in Boots pharmacies – many of them bearing the trusted Boots brand.
