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
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.
Alongside my NHS work I have a private practice at www.hearingtherapy.net, an industrial hearing assessment and rehabilitation business www.sheffieldindustrialhearing.co.uk, write regularly for the BTA Quiet magazine, sit on the British Society of Audiology council and chair the professional development committee of the British Academy of Audiology. I am currently engaged in a research programme funded by DEFRA and developing the national Quality Evaluation Tool for Tinnitus and writing the Tinnitus info leaflet for Audiologists for the BTA. So, quite busy.
To this end I shall be publishing more frequently on here but with less time intensive pieces making up the majority of posts. My hope is to encourage more active discussion both in the comments and in the forum available here. I will be creating a separate page so that the evidence-based posts can be easily found.
Thanks for your interest and patience,
Tim
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.
Alongside my NHS work I have a private practice at www.hearingtherapy.net, an industrial hearing assessment and rehabilitation business www.sheffieldindustrialhearing.co.uk, write regularly for the BTA Quiet magazine, sit on the British Society of Audiology council and chair the professional development committee of the British Academy of Audiology. I am currently engaged in a research programme funded by DEFRA and developing the national Quality Evaluation Tool for Tinnitus and writing the Tinnitus info leaflet for Audiologists for the BTA. So, quite busy.
To this end I shall be publishing more frequently on here but with less time intensive pieces making up the majority of posts. My hope is to encourage more active discussion both in the comments and in the forum available here. I will be creating a separate page so that the evidence-based posts can be easily found.
Thanks for your interest and patience,
Tim
Comments
Busy Skeptical Times
Sadly I have been spending far too much time preparing my talk for the British Tinnitus Association's conference and far too little time blogging. Hopefully all the work won't be in vain. I'm planning posts on Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, Acupuncture and food supplements.
As an interesting side note I purchased a pair of Biosun Hopi ear candles to demonstrate during my talk. I tried one out at home, not in an ear but a jar of spare change. I have to say it gave off a pleasant scent while burning but the 'filter' inside it was a surprise. It was a plastic tube with a simple cross of plastic on the centre which seemed completely insufficient to block a ball of burning wax.
In preparation for my talk I've also been feverishly reading some excellent books I'd like to bring to your attention:
Bad Science - Ben Goldacre
Healing, Hype or Harm? - Ed. Edzard Ernst
Snake Oil Science - R. Barker Bausell
Suckers - Rose Shapiro
Trick or Treatment - Simon Singh & Edzard Ernst
You may also be interested in this worrying piece of nonsense from the Kings Fund which appears to be arguing for different (lower) standards of scientific proof and research methodology for CAM modalities of treatment. A letter to your MP may be in order expressing your dismay with regard to this dangerous and irresponsible form of special pleading...
As an interesting side note I purchased a pair of Biosun Hopi ear candles to demonstrate during my talk. I tried one out at home, not in an ear but a jar of spare change. I have to say it gave off a pleasant scent while burning but the 'filter' inside it was a surprise. It was a plastic tube with a simple cross of plastic on the centre which seemed completely insufficient to block a ball of burning wax.
In preparation for my talk I've also been feverishly reading some excellent books I'd like to bring to your attention:
Bad Science - Ben Goldacre
Healing, Hype or Harm? - Ed. Edzard Ernst
Snake Oil Science - R. Barker Bausell
Suckers - Rose Shapiro
Trick or Treatment - Simon Singh & Edzard Ernst
You may also be interested in this worrying piece of nonsense from the Kings Fund which appears to be arguing for different (lower) standards of scientific proof and research methodology for CAM modalities of treatment. A letter to your MP may be in order expressing your dismay with regard to this dangerous and irresponsible form of special pleading...
