Conversations in Tinnitus Podcasts
The American Tinnitus Association (ATA) is proud to share with you our podcast series, Conversations in Tinnitus.
Conversations in Tinnitus podcasts are hosted by audiologists John A. Coverstone, AuD, our podcast producer and Dean Flyger, AuD, a private practice audiologist in Paris, TX. Each podcast focuses on current issues, research, and treatment methods for people living with tinnitus.
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Podcast 16: Considering the Psychophysiological Elements of Tinnitus
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: Christopher Spankovich, PhD, MPH
TOPIC: Dr. Christopher Spankovich discusses how tinnitus interventions should address both the psychological and physiological impact of tinnitus on patients. He explores how nutrition, emotional health, and physical health all play a role in mitigating the negative impact of tinnitus. He also discusses the importance of helping patients understand the power of sound to elicit positive or negative emotions, aside from the tinnitus sound, in order to facilitate habituation. Noting that not all patients believe or accept the psychological component of tinnitus, Dr. Spankovich encourages providers to assess what best fits the needs of individual patients, taking into consideration their specific challenges, what the patient believes, and what he/she is likely to respond to, rather than focusing on a one-size-fits-all approach.
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Podcast 15: Exploring Noninvasive Neuromodulation for Tinnitus Relief
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: Hubert Lim, PhD
TOPIC: Hubert Lim is a leading researcher in the field of bimodal stimulation for tinnitus relief. He explains the theory behind neuromodulation and research that seems to indicate that it can provide effective relief from tinnitus distress. Lim discusses recent research with more than 300 participants who used a neuromodulation device developed by Neuromod Devices, Ltd., which is based in Ireland. Lim, who is the company’s chief scientific officer, noted that research is ongoing in an effort to further define how the technology impacts the brain, tinnitus, and who is most likely to benefit from it.
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Podcast 14: Does Diet Play a Role in Tinnitus and Hearing Health?
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: Christopher Spankovich, PhD, MPH
TOPIC: Dr. Christopher Spankovich discusses what research reveals about the role of nutrition on tinnitus and hearing health. As one of the few tinnitus researchers to investigate this critical topic, Spankovich is able to speak to the value of supplements versus certain types of diets, and what people can do today to better manage their tinnitus and overall hearing health. As a researcher and clinician, he also shares what he advises his patients when discussing diet and other lifestyle factors that can influence tinnitus.
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Podcast 13: Understanding Preferences for Loud Music
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: Elizabeth Beach, PhD
TOPIC: Dr. Elizabeth Beach discusses large-scale research that reveals why clubs, bar, and music venues are playing music at higher volumes than what most people prefer. And while it might seem easy to raise awareness that results in quieter recreational music venues, Beach says it’s complicated, so safe listening initiatives require support at various levels to achieve change. As head of the Behavioral Sciences Department at the National Acoustics Laboratory in Australia, she studies recreational noise in the music and entertainment industry, strategies for encouraging safe listening for staff and patrons, and how to motivate young adults to protect their hearing.
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Episode 12: Building Skills in Mindfulness to Manage Tinnitus
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: Jennifer Gans, PhD
TOPIC: Jennifer Gans, PhD and licensed psychologist, launched the Mindfulness-Based Tinnitus Stress Reduction (MBTSR) program to teach mindfulness meditation skills to people bothered by chronic tinnitus. With practice, Gans contends that bothersome tinnitus can be addressed effectively, opening the door to a renewed sense of hope and empowerment. She also discusses research that explains how mindfulness meditation strengthens the brain’s ability to respond more neutrally to negative stimuli, such as tinnitus, anxiety and fear.
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Podcast 11: Habituation to Tinnitus Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: Bruce Hubbard, PhD
TOPIC: For more than 20 years, Dr. Bruce Hubbard has helped people improve their lives using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and relational therapy strategies. He explains how CBT, acceptance commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness are applied to treatment of tinnitus and what patients should expect. As someone with tinnitus, Dr. Hubbard offers a unique perspective on the challenges and process of habituation, as well as the importance of early intervention. He also discusses the audiologist’s role and assessing when to refer a tinnitus patient to a mental-health provider.
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Podcast 10: Benefits and Pitfalls of an Online Support Community *
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS: Markku Vesala and Hazel Goedhart of TinnitusTalk
TOPIC: Markku Vesala, founder of Tinnitus Talk, and Hazel Goedhart, content strategist, discuss how the online support forum began in 2011, its mission and goals, as well as their own journeys with tinnitus. Both note that internet forums pose a unique challenge in terms of questionable advice as well as causing some members to fixate on their tinnitus. Nonetheless, the online community can provide a sense of connection and meaning for people with tinnitus.
*Online tinnitus support forums can encourage important communication about the condition, thereby providing a sense of community and empowerment. However, with no gate-keeping mechanism to manage misinformation, it's critical that forum visitors crosscheck information with credible tinnitus websites that vet content, particularly for individuals who recently developed tinnitus or are suffering from depression. False information can contribute to increased tinnitus distress, anxiety, purchases of useless products, and delay in seeking appropriate research-based treatment for its management.
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Episode 9: Implementing Successful Tinnitus Treatment
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: Helen Pryce, MSc, PD (Health)
In this podcast, Dr. Helen Pryce explains how healthcare providers can successfully implement shared decision-making with tinnitus patients through use of the Tinnitus Decision Aid, which was developed in the United Kingdom and presents evidence-based treatment choices. By empowering patients in conversations that weigh the pros and cons of each care option based on what’s most practical for the patient, Pryce believes patients are more likely to commit to a treatment plan that works.
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Episode 8, Part 2: Ototoxicity and Tinnitus
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: Robert M. DiSogra, AuD
Dr. DiSogra continues his conversation on the topic of ototoxicity and tinnitus, helping the listener to anticipate potential problems related to certain drugs and what should be done if a medication seems to have triggered or aggravated tinnitus. He highlights resources and steps people should know to better manage tinnitus and other health issues that require medication. For practitioners, he discusses what should be considered when evaluating a patient whose tinnitus might be the result of ototoxicity, as well as ways to support patients so they have positive interactions and outcomes as they navigate the healthcare system.
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Episode 8, Part 1: Over-The-Counter Medications for Tinnitus Relief
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: Robert M. DiSogra, AuD
In this podcast, Dr. DiSogra, an audiologist for 39 years and frequent lecturer on the topic of tinnitus and ototoxicity, reveals what every person with tinnitus and every hearing healthcare professional should know about this largely unregulated industry, issues with ingredients, and the efficacy of the products. Promises of relief and the desire to try anything to quiet the sound of tinnitus have fueled a lucrative market for over-the-counter dietary supplements, or nutraceuticals, aimed at the millions of Americans bothered by tinnitus.
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Episode 7: Breakthrough Using Multisensory Stimulation to Reduce Tinnitus
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: Susan Shore, PhD
After 20 years of painstaking research, Dr. Shore made national headlines this year with groundbreaking research results that showed positive effects in tinnitus treatment using bimodal stimulation. She heads the team of researchers at the University of Michigan, where it was discovered that “touch”-sensitive (somatosensory) neurons in the auditory region of the brain become hyperactive and synchronized with each other in guinea pigs and humans with tinnitus. The team’s preliminary studies found that bimodal stimulation, which calms neurons using specially-timed multisensory stimulation, reduces tinnitus distress and loudness. In the fall, her team will begin the next phase of research, with the goal of replicating earlier results and gaining Food and Drug Administration approval for commercialization of the technique.
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Episode 6: Mapping Tinnitus in the Brain
Dr. Phillip Gander discusses his groundbreaking research mapping tinnitus in the brain during two different craniotomies. His research has added clarity to fMRI studies and theories on the different networks of brain that process the phantom sound/s of tinnitus. In addition to sharing unexpected things that happened during the research conducted while the patients were awake, he touches on how future research might be designed to track and compare changes in the brain of subjects with tinnitus, which could provide better understanding of subsets of tinnitus and why it affects people differently.
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Episode 5 - Managing Meniere’s Disease and Tinnitus
Our 5th podcast features Glenn Schweitzer, a best-selling author and blogger on tinnitus and Meniere’s disease. Schweitzer was a college student when the sudden onset of Meniere’s disease destroyed his vision of having a productive life. He shares how this life-altering disease aggravated his tinnitus and necessitated a radical change in lifestyle, focus, and commitment to helping others with both conditions. Listeners will hear his story and what motivated him to become an advocate for greater awareness and help for those with bothersome tinnitus and Meniere’s disease.
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Episode 4 Ringing Ears and the Neuroscience of Tinnitus
Our 4th podcast features Dr. Larry Roberts, an emeritus professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Dr. Roberts discusses cutting-edge research in neuroscience that points to understanding possible causes of tinnitus, including cochlear pathology, hidden hearing loss at high frequencies, and synaptopathy. He also shares compelling findings on teenagers with tinnitus that suggest links to hyperacusis. Thoughts are shared on how recent research, in such areas as transcranial magnetic stimulation or procedures designed to harness neural plasticity, might be translated into clinical treatments.
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A transcript to aid in listening is available through the following link:
Episode 3 - Neuromodulation to Suppress Tinnitus
Conversations in Tinnitus with Dr. Jinsheng Zhang.
Our third podcast features Dr. Jinsheng Zhang, professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at Wayne State University and former chair of the ATA’s Scientific Advisory Committee. Dr. Zhang discusses his ongoing research into neuromodulation, which attempts to change through electrical and chemical modulation the abnormal firing pattern associated with tinnitus. It is hoped that this mechanism will suppress tinnitus for prolonged periods. Due to the advanced nature of the subject and speed of conversation, listeners are encouraged to utilize the accompanying transcript while listening.
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Episode 2 - Training Clinicians in Tinnitus Care
Listen to Training Clinicians in Tinnitus Care – ATA’s second “Conversations in Tinnitus” podcast – that discusses the ongoing drive to educate audiologists and other health-care professionals in tinnitus treatment options, past and present research, and the importance of professional networking. Dr. Richard Tyler, our featured guest, also touches on his past research, obstacles to care, and his upcoming “Management of the Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Patient” conference at the University of Iowa, which runs June 15-16, 2017.
The 30-minute episode is a conversation with Dr. Richard Tyler, a well-known researcher and professor at the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. His international conference is an annual event, which is celebrating its 25th year.
The transcript, which can be accessed through the link, is available as a listening aid.
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Episode 1 - The Journey of Tinnitus
Our first guest is Dr. David Baguley, world reknown audiologist and professor of hearing science at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Dr. Baguley is co-author of the recent book, “Living with Tinnitus.” He discusses the journey of a person with tinnitus from the moment they first hear troublesome tinnitus. The podcast also touches on current research and hope for future advancement in the search for a cure for tinnitus.
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