Hearing Care Professionals https://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au Living well with Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, & Sound Tolerance Sat, 22 Sep 2018 00:00:10 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8 How do I stop this ringing in my ears? https://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/how-do-i-stop-this-ringing-in-my-ears/ Sat, 22 Sep 2018 00:00:10 +0000 http://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/?p=2821 How do I stop this noise in my ears? I’m told nothing can be done about tinnitus!

How Brain Research Changes How We Approach Tinnitus

There has been decades of studies in fields of Audiology, Neuroscience and Neuropsychology into what causes Tinnitus and therefore how to treat it.

I have been inspired in the last decade by work in Neuropsychology and the Brain Sciences. My views about tinnitus have changed over my 38 years working in the area.

I no longer think of someone with tinnitus with thoughts of pity and horror. It amazes me how if you mention tinnitus you hear pity. I’m not callous or don’t appreciate the impact it is having on person with tinnitus lives. I’ve just seen too many people successfully gain control of their lives even though they experience Tinnitus.

“Now I get excited at the possibilities for this person to improve the quality of their life.“

Of course, we have no cure for tinnitus.

However, it is possible to take control of your Tinnitus and improve the quality of your life.

There are multiple studies showing it’s possible to develop the ability to ignore, or adapt to your tinnitus. This alone can be the difference between tinnitus being intolerable to being a minor annoyance.

I’ve just told YOU it’s possible to adapt or even ignore your tinnitus. How is that possible. I’ll say it again. Brain science and Neuropsychology shows the way!

Brain Science – What has that got to do with Tinnitus?

Let’s take a look at what parts of the brain are involved with tinnitus. This diagram shows the different parts of the auditory (hearing) system.

You may have heard of the limbic system. The thalamus, hippocampus, amygdala and cingulate gyrus are part to this system.

Your reaction to tinnitus comes from your emotional processing system, the limbic network. It does not act alone.

It interacts with other large scale neural networks that look at how we process sound, pay attention and other cognitive processes.

It was in Sept 2016, that Fatima Husain published a research study “Tinnitus and Its Relationship to Emotion, Exercise”. It showed how the interaction between all these networks in the brain explains the concentration, attention and sleep issues reported by those with tinnitus.

She also compared a group with mild tinnitus with those with bothersome tinnitus and found those with mild tinnitus engaged the middle frontal cortex (green) more. However, those with severe tinnitus activated the amygdala and parahippocampus (yellow) when hearing sounds with emotional meaning.

The conclusion from this study was the frontal cortex plays an important role in getting you used to sound ie habituating your tinnitus. Note – The frontal cortex is where our attention mechanism lies.

Ms Husain founds those who have higher physical activity levels also have lower tinnitus distress.

In her 2015 review of 20 years of functional MRI studies on tinnitus, that she proposed a possible model of habituation to tinnitus. Her model explains how it is possible to use the attention system (via the frontal cortex) to suppress the response from the amygdala and uses alternate nodes of the limbic system like the insula and the parahippocampal gyrus to work with emotion.

What is the Amygdala and why is it important.

The amygdala are 2 almond size nuclei within your brain. They are the first part of the brain to react to strong emotional events.

Its role is to protect you from harm by interpreting hints of danger to trigger automatic ie instant responses. It also activates your sympathetic nervous system It’s the reason when you wake in the morning and pay attention to your tinnitus it seems to trouble you the whole day.

The good news is the amygdala is somewhat open to reason. It’s been found we can use the power of our frontal cortex to modify its response. This is worth noting.

Diagram 1: Neurophysiological Model of the Auditory System from Nature Reviews 2016 -Guideline for how the different parts of the auditory system interact in our brains.

Blue represents our Auditory Pathway as we know it. Sound is detected by the cochlear converted into a signal which travels through the cochlear nucleus, the inferior colliculus, thalamus to the primary cortex. The cochlear through to the inferior colliculus is where we detect sound and it is only at the primary auditory cortex that we and create meaning of the sounds.

Pink represents the part of auditory system which receives somatosensory (touch, feel, balance etc) information.

Orange pathway is our hippocampus and the amygdala. This area of the auditory system is associated with memory and primary emotions. This part of the auditory system is where we emotionally process what we hear.

Green represents the area of the brain involved in attention, focus and control of our thoughts i.e. our consciousness. This area helps us control many parts of our brain – the frontal cortex.

What is the Frontal Cortex and why is it important?

The frontal cortex plays an important role in habituation of tinnitus.

The frontal cortex is also where our attention mechanism lies.

Neuroplasticity – Why Is It Important?

All tinnitus treatments today rely on Neuroplasticity. This is the brain’s ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural connections.

Neuropsychology uses these 3 statements to help us understand how neuroplasticity works :

  • As the brain changes, the mind changes, for better or worse
  • As the mind changes, the brain changes
  • You can use your mind to change the brain to change the mind for the better

Psychologist Rick Hanson says “this can mean is that with proper practice, we can increasingly trick our neural machinery to cultivate more positive states.” Because as the Canadian scientist Donald Hebb goes “Neurons that fire together, wire together.”

In January this year, a study was published by JAMA Otolaryngolgy Head & Neck Surgery, where researchers which reported how a cognitive training program focused on auditory skills improved the perception of tinnitus, memory, attention and concentration of those with tinnitus. MRI imaging studies showed strengthening of areas of the frontal cortex, the area of the brain associated with control and attention.

Kallogieri D, Picirillo JF, Spitznagel E (2017) Cognitive training for adults with bothersome tinnitus. A randomised clinical trial. JAMA-Otol Head Neck Surg doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2017.3779

The University of Auckland Audiology department has done extensive research in recent years on the role of attention, brain retraining and sound therapy for those with tinnitus.

What does future hold for those with Tinnitus.

It’s like all the years of research in the fields of audiology, neuroscience and psychology have come together and given us new options for treatment. The best part is prospect of helping not just those with mild to moderate tinnitus but those with severe tinnitus. These new treatment options are building on what we already know and understand.

I am excited about the future and what might be possible. One of the key changes in our thinking is the role of attention. The frontal cortex holds possibilities to help gain control of tinnitus.

How much support do you need?

Lessons From Brain Studies for Tinnitus Treatments

We can use the principles of brain retraining in the area of attention as a new way to reduce the impact of tinnitus. A core method of improving your tinnitus is to train your attention, concentration and memory. There are multiple ways to do this. University of Auckland tinnitus clinic has researched and developed a program, Brain HQ was the program used in the study just released last month January 2017. Neuropsychology has many attention training options that focus on improving your well being.

Reasons to Improve Your Attention and Therefore Your Tinnitus

How do you practice “Paying Attention”. Neuropsychologist Rick Hanson has written many useful articles on this topic. What is interesting is that attention training is considered an important part of improving your well being. He says “ Whatever you pay attention to has a special power to change your brain. Attention is like a combination of spotlight and vacuum cleaner : It shines light on what it rests on and then sucks it into your brain and your self. “

It is by controlling your attention, you become more able to place it where you want it and keep it there. And most importantly able to pull it away from what bothers or pointless, looping again and again through anxious preoccupations. Rick Hanson describes attention training as the foundation to make your life better.

It’s easier said than done to gain better control of your attention. We need to overcome some challenges. All it takes is one upsetting experience to train the brain to be vigilant with our attention skittering from one thing to another. We are used to significant external stimuli so simple activities like the sensation of breathing feel boring or frustrating.

Five Prerequisite Habits To Preparing to Get The Most Out Of Attention Training

  1. Set the intention to be mindful ie pay attention to what you are doing.
  2. Listen to your breath in and out for a few minutes.
  3. Think of things that make you feel safe.
  4. Think of things that help you feel cared about.
  5. Gentle but consistent exercise.
  6. Find the good in things each day – gratitude.

By just gently implementing these 5 ideas, it will be easier for your brain to use the available attention and brain training programs available.

Remember everyone is an individual and what works for one may not be an answer for you. That is where working with an audiologist specialising in this area is important.

I have started recommending using programs like Brain HQ or attention training methods of Rick Hanson for my clients. I still believe that sound enrichment/therapy whether it’s with nature sounds or hearing aids are an important part of the treatment program. That is another article.

Pay Attention To Life

Remember Life is too short to suffer!

Let’s keep talking about how we can take control of our tinnitus?

It would be nice to hear more “I haven’t noticed, that I am no longer noticing my tinnitus.” It’s not an instant option. But it is very achievable.

For More Information:

Should you be worried about your reaction to your internal sounds “tinnitus” or know someone who suffers from tinnitus, we encourage you to see advice from an independent qualified audiologist to discuss your concerns.

Hearing Care Professionals offers one on one consultations online. Nolene Nielson has been passionate about helping those with tinnitus for over 30 years.


About the Author:


Nolene Nielson is a highly qualified and experienced Australian Audiologist. She has over three decades of clinical experience in many aspects of Audiology, but specialises in the area of hearing rehabilitation for those with hearing loss, tinnitus, hyperacusis and misophonia.

She is passionate about working with those experiencing tinnitus issues. For over 35 years now it has been her consuming passion. Using the principles of audiology, neurosciences, neuropsychology and solution based psychological approaches, she uses the latest practical clinical treatments to work with her clients to achieve the best results possible.

Can Loud Music Really Affect My Hearing? https://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/loud-music-damage-hearing/ Sun, 09 Sep 2018 07:10:25 +0000 https://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/?p=2913 One night, you go to watch your oldest grandchild in her first school play. It is a big event for everyone. There is the school band playing as you arrive and you take your seat to watch the performance. Yet the background music throughout the performance is loud.

The next night you are off to a gig see your youngest child ( grown up) perform in their band. That was even louder than the night before. Three hours later you leave exhausted. 

It’s date night the next night, so you take your beloved to the movies. Why do they have to play the movie so loud, you think.

The next night you are sitting in your lounge room and put your favourite music on. Music just sounds better when it is a little louder. It somehow enhances the experience.

The sounds of the laughter of children, the swell of the background music are colourful aspects of daily life that are communicated to us via our sense of hearing. They are part of living your life well. At the back of your mind, you wonder if you are damaging your hearing! Are you?

Will Listening To Music Damage My Ears

It’s natural to wonder if you are exposing yourself to too much sound.

You know that noise induced hearing loss is a reality. Your own father has significant difficulty hearing because he was a farmer and worked around noisy machinery. You don’t want to be like him and miss out on so much.

Many people find themselves wondering if they are damaging their hearing while engaging in their daily life?

The 5 Symptoms of Noise Induced Hearing Loss

Understanding when sound, whether it is noise or music, has the potential to damage your hearing is important.

Hearing is an important asset that helps us respond to and interact with the world. Age-related hearing loss is a pervasive problem that often affects older adults’ quality of life. Such hearing loss can make it difficult to perform everyday tasks, like determining where a sound is coming from, distinguishing speech from background noise, and understanding emotions conveyed in speech—all of which can lead to isolation and depression. Hearing loss is often associated with aging but there is a clear link between listening to and producing music this article is about.

Sound is important to your wellbeing. We all love listening to music and appreciate the skill that goes into producing it for our listening pleasure.

However, it is a fact that many musicians and those associated in producing music are at high risk of hearing loss, even at an early age. It is not restricted to rock musicians either, as classically trained musicians are equally at risk. Even the music teacher who is exposed to sound 5 days a week is at risk.

Here are the five major symptoms of noise damage to your hearing are:

1. Hearing loss noise exposure usually means a reduction in your range of hearing in the high frequencies. This shows up as speech is loud enough, just not clear. You can hear a pin drop but not hearing other sounds.
2. Tinnitus. This usually shows up as ringing in your ears. You can learn more about tinnitus here.
3. Sensitivity to sound. One of the side effects of trauma to your ear is increased sensitivity to sounds whose loudness were okay before. We talk about two types of sound sensitivity, hyperacusis and recruitment.
4. Loss of appreciation of music. Music just doesn’t sound like you remember.
5. Difficulty hearing in group situations. Because the high frequency range of your hearing is often affected, you lose the ability to hear speech in any competing sound.

How To Look After Your Hearing After Noise Exposure

What was happening for my friend who had a busy week enjoying life and being exposed to many different sounds? Was he at risk?

To be honest It’s difficult to say. He was certainly starting to have large doses of noise exposure. I would be recommending he looks at reducing some of his exposure to noise, only because his range of hearing is already reduced a little.

What I recommend is where he can, when it is under his control, on busy listening weeks like this, he should lower the volume of what he listens to. It would be hard to walk out of the school performance, but maybe at the gig, he could of in half time gone outside to somewhere quiet to give his ears time to rest.

I would recommend choosing a quiet night for the date. Just spread out the noise exposure over time. And as for his night at home listening to music, this would be a great time to turn the volume down and only turn it up for the special song or two.

Classical Music Vs Rock: Which Is More Damaging?



5 Steps You Need To Take To Stop Noise Damage To Your Hearing

Here are The 5 facts about potential of loud music and sound to damage your hearing

1. First you need to understand how loud or intense the music is? A sound doesn’t have to be that loud, it is its intensity, that is damaging A simple rule for when you are on the spot is, if you can still hear someone speak 1 metre away without anyone raising their voice it probably is not too loud.

2. The difficulty is it is also the length of time you are in that loud situation as important as the loudness of the music. A small increase in loudness means dramatically less time you can afford to be in that situation before damage may occur.

3. How you are feeling that day makes a difference to your risk of having hearing damage. If you are feeling anxious, stressed you are more at risk of having hearing damage than if you are happy and relaxed.

4. If you already have hearing damage, then you are more susceptible to further hearing damage from repeated noise exposure than someone who has no hearing damage.

5. It appears 30% of the population have a genetic predisposition to developing hearing loss from noise exposure. Are you one of those? Look into your family for any trends to develop noise induced hearing loss.

In summary

Most of the early signs of hearing loss show up as a temporary change in your hearing. You go to a loud concert or have a long day in noise and maybe your hearing is muffled and there is some ringing in your ears. This typically resolves 16-18 hours later if you have a sound rest.

The musician clinics of Canada have developed an app that allows you to measure any changes that occur following noise exposure. You can download it on the iTunes App Store or on Google Play.

It shows you if you have a small insignificant shift, a larger shift (orange) or major shift (red) as an indicator of too much noise exposure.

If you go into the orange or red range, hearing protection would be recommended next time you are in a similar environment.

We recommend everyone have their hearing checked regularly, not just to find out if their hearing is damaged, but to find out and start learning about this important sense of ours. Hearing enriches our lives and provides us with the opportunity to connect with the world.

Then it is a matter of making sure the information you receive is right for you.  Nolene Nielson Audiologist offers online expert and impartial advice on your personal situation. Get In Touch With Nolene

Is It Possible To Treat Misophonia? https://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/help-for-misophonia/ Sun, 09 Sep 2018 03:33:27 +0000 http://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/?p=2849 I received this amazing email from a client the other week and wanted to share her story with you on her journey with misophonia

She has asked for her name not to be used for personal reasons and to be honest, it is considered unethical to share clients personal details under my professional code of ethics.

Read This Personal Story about Misophonia

I’ll let her words tell the story.

“ Finding out about Nolene’s treatment for misophonia was a wonderful case of synchronicity for me – I’d heard of misophonia before as my sister had heard a radio segment and told me about it because she thought it described my symptoms. After that, I’d done some online research and read a bit about it. But everything I read was about the symptoms with nothing about treatments.

It had been months since I’d read anything about misophonia but, right at the time when I felt my symptoms were getting worse, I happened to come across a newspaper article about Nolene’s misophonia treatment. I immediately rang her to talk about it and it was lucky for me that her clinic is very close to where I live. Before I knew the details of Nolene’s treatment, I felt a sense of relief just that it might be possible to treat my condition although, at the time, I wouldn’t have called it a condition – I just thought I was highly intolerant and slightly crazy.

My earliest memories of having an intense dislike for certain sounds are from when I was in primary school. The noise of people chewing was very irritating for me, I felt disgusted and annoyed and had a physical feeling like something wet was in my ear.

And I wasn’t able to resist the urge to put my fingers in my ears to try to wipe it away which, of course, didn’t work.

I felt ashamed because my family teased me about it.

It increased a little as a I got older but really became a problem from me in my thirties.

The range of sounds I couldn’t bear increased and I became anxious about being around certain people and in certain environments where I knew I would hear sounds I hated, such as on public transport or at work during winter with people constantly sniffing.

I tried not to show how irritated I was but it was becoming increasingly difficult to hide it. The urge to get away from the noises or to somehow make them stop was giving me feelings of anxiety and anger and I was starting to find ways to avoid being in certain situations and places.

Since commencing treatment with Nolene, I now recognise this as being in a state of hypervigilance, which is an awful feeling.

After my initial conversation with Nolene, I visited her clinic and we talked through the treatment in detail – I was pleasantly surprised because I’d been worried it would be a form of exposure therapy. Nolene rang through a checklist to rate my moods, behaviours and reactions to sounds to set my baseline. I then commenced watching a four minute video, once or twice a day, with headphones on.

Nolene had explained the theory of the treatment to me and I initially felt a bit unsure it would work but I was very open minded to trying it.

The treatment has made an incredible difference for me.

It’s hard to describe just how much.

It’s such a simple process – there’s no effort involved at all, I put in headphones, watch a video and carry on with my day. During each appointment with Nolene, we talk about how I’m feeling and run through the checklist to track my progress and there’s a very clear difference compared to when I started the treatment.

My condition has improved to the point where I now rarely feel anxious or afraid of being exposed to sounds that irritate me.

I also remind myself that there are probably many times a day that I’m simply no longer hearing sounds that would have irritated me prior to the treatment.

From time to time, I hear a noise that irritates me but the intensity of the feeling is very low compared to before I started the treatment. If a noise persists, I still occasionally move away or, if I can, listen to music through my phone so I don’t hear it. The difference is the sense of urgency to get the headphones in my ears or to get away has almost disappeared.

Before my appointments with Nolene, I was becoming increasingly upset about how much misophonia interfered with my life and how ashamed I felt, but due to the treatment process, I feel so relieved to have a sense of control over my condition instead of it controlling me.”

I’m grateful to clients who allow me to use my skills and expertise to help them live their best lives. Thank you so much.

It is stories like this that make the effort to learn and help my clients with misophonia worthwhile. Thank you. I love what I am doing!

Your personal stories are important. They need to be shared. Please share this message on your social networks like Facebook. It helps spread the message that help is available for those with misophonia.

Make an appointment now by going to my contact page.


Nolene Nielson is an experienced Australian Audiologist who is passionate about misophonia. This article was first published at hearingcareprofessionals.com.au.

11 Things You Need to Know When You First Get Hearing Aids? https://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/11-things-you-need-to-know-when-you-first-get-hearing-aids/ Tue, 11 Jul 2017 13:56:56 +0000 http://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/?p=2802 What you need to know when you get new hearing aids?

You have just got new hearing aids? Now what?

You have so many things to remember about using them? Are they going to work? Are my hearing aids going to be a waste of money?

Your fitting appointment hopefully solved many of your concerns.

Congratulations by the way for taking this important step.

Let’s work together to ensure that your journey with hearing aids is enjoyable and meets your expectations.

I just spent thousands of dollars on new hearing aids… Do I need to keep reading?

“Michael had just been fitted with his new hearing aids. He was unsure about what he would remember of all the things he was told by his audiologist. There seemed so much.

He had to remember how to put them on, change batteries, there was something about drying, and wax protection and wearing it as much as possible and yes he had to train his brain to hear. So much more than he expected. And there wasn’t time or brain space to cover what would happen.”

“Meanwhile, his wife Joan had great expectations of how much Michael would hear. He would hear her clearly. After all, he had spent thousands of dollars on his new hearing aids. She was looking forward to conversations without having to go looking for him. It would be nice to go out and not being embarrassed by his answers when he mishears. He would have “super hearing”, maybe…

Many people ponder these when they first get hearing aids.

They were wondering about what will happen?

Will they be good enough?

3 must have benefits of wearing hearing aids

You’ve heard the stories about hearing aids?

They don’t always get a good review, but yet so many people would not do without them?

It is possible to benefit from hearing aids no matter your hearing loss.

Before discussing how to improve the benefits you will get from your hearing aids. Let’s talk about 3 rarely discussed, but essential benefits of wearing hearing aids.

1. Your hearing aids must ensure you hear the important sounds of life again.

Your hearing aids will not restore your hearing to normal? After all what is normal? It is a difficult concept to define and the answer varies from person to person.

At your first audiology appointment, you were asked many questions investigating what successful hearing aid use would mean for you.

Use these results to guide you as to what you can and cannot be expected to hear. You may want to discuss them again at your next appointment with your audiologist.

Hearing well with your hearing aids is about hearing all the sounds that are important to you and ignoring those sounds that are not important to you.

Your hearing aids will not amplify just speech. That is impossible. Yet they help you hear speech clearly.

You will also hear those little incidental sounds like birds singing, a car coming down the street or your telephone ringing.

2. Hearing Technology can help you reduce the impact of background noise or even used to help you hear over distance better.

However, reducing background noise requires your hearing aids to work very differently to when you need to hear over distance.

Technology sometimes has trouble working out what you do want for a number of reasons.
Advanced hearing aids are aiming to make it easy in multiple listening situations.
It is amazing how technology today can analyse and sort out speech from noise and then reduce predictable noise. Just sometimes it is hard to differentiate what is noise especially if it is speech like.

3. Using the knowledge that you hear with your brain, you can enhance the benefits you obtain from your hearing aids.

Your brain continues to learn and adapt over time.

In the first week you will find the world seems noisy. You will be hearing not only the softer sound of speech you have been missing for many years but also other sounds like paper shuffling, clicking of heels on the floor, water running and maybe even your microwave.

The guaranteed way to improve your hearing

Your brain is your friend in helping you learn to identify the important from unimportant sounds.

You will find some time in the next few weeks that sounds that grabbed your attention the first few days will be less distracting.

Sounds will become comfortable and you will be ready to start the next part of the journey.

Learning to improve your communication skills to hear more.

11 simple things you should do when you first get hearing aids?

To help you on your journey to hearing the best you can, I have created this guide.

Just go through each of these 11 steps and explore how you could apply these ideas in your life.

1. Hearing aids are only the beginning of learning to hear better. They are the foundation stone of successful hearing.

The next level of improvement will come from the changes you and the people speaking to you make.

“Michael has been struggling to hear Joan around the house for some time. With his new hearing aids on, he notices during the first week that he is still having trouble hearing her. However, when Joan is speaking on the phone to a friend, he can hear every word she says, even if she is in another room. Why is this?”

Does it mean the hearing aids are not working?

Let’s look at what is happening!

Joan is speaking clearly and loudly for her friend to hear. She wants to ensure her friend hears and understands her.

Yet when she gets off the phone and starts chatting to Michael she drops her voice volume and speaks faster.

Michael is also on the other side of the room and the TV is turned on.

This is a common situation repeated in so many households.

And when we stop and think about it, it makes sense why Michael is not hearing as he expected.

We tend to communicate less effectively with those we spend the most time with. It takes two to Tango link

2. There is no point saving your hearing aids for special occasions.

Special occasions are almost always noisy.

If you don’t get used to wearing your hearing aids in quiet, you will not be able to wear them comfortably in noisy environments.

It is possible to hear better in many noisy environments if you apply this one principle.

3. Put your hearing aids on first thing in the morning and leave them in until you go to bed.

It takes time to adjust to hearing the world and to get the full potential from hearing better.

It just doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen.

You need to wear your hearing aids regularly and on a consistent basis.

Wear them even when you think you may not need them. This is usually when it is quiet, at home and there may be no one else around you.

If you only wear them occasionally, your brain will never get used to using the sounds you are now hearing.

Your brain will have to keep on relearning how to hear each time you put the hearing aids on.

4. Expect some sounds to be strange initially, including your own voice, footsteps, birds and paper.

You haven’t heard or be aware of these sounds for some time.

Give yourself time to discover and explore these sounds.

Try to identify the sounds you are hearing with the hearing aids.

Practice shifting your attention from one sound to another.

5. Hearing in quiet and mild to moderate background noise should be improved. However hearing in noise will not be as good as hearing in quiet.

Even people with normal hearing do not always hear in noisy situations.

6. With your hearing aids on, soft speech should be audible, conversational speech comfortable and loud speech not uncomfortable.

Keep note of different listening situations and ask yourself, if this is a soft sound, a conversational speech level sound or loud speech.

All sounds heard with your hearing aid should never be uncomfortably loud. If they are, you need to discuss this with your audiologist as soon as possible.

7. No whistling should occur if the hearing aids are in properly

If your hearing aids are not in properly they can fall out and you will lose them.

Or you will not be getting the desired benefit and not hearing well.

8. Your own voice may sound different when you are wearing hearing aids.

At first your voice is likely to sound different because it is amplified by your hearing aids.

You haven’t heard your voice for a long time without hearing aids.

Your voice is one of the closest things to the microphones of your hearing aids, hence the first sound amplified.

Remember your hearing aids are not working if you are not hearing your voice differently.

To speed up getting used to the sound of your voice, do some reading or talking out loud for a few minutes a few times a day.

9. Talking on the phone may feel awkward or different at first.

You will need to experiment with proper phone placement and/or use different technology with the phone.

Being able to use the phone is important.

10. It is essential that you return to your audiologist for follow-up visits and fine-tuning adjustments to the hearing aids.

Few people get hearing aids and put them on and do not need adjustments.

There are so many ways to improve your hearing.

11. Explore different listening situations starting from easy (one on one conversations in quiet) and slowly over the first few days or even weeks go into more and more difficult listening situations.

This will help your brain adjust to hearing again.


Remember, successful use of hearing aids begins with your new hearing aids.

The next steps in hearing better involve you and those you speak with.

Explore the 11 Must Know in this guide and let me know if you have any questions.

These concepts are not about how to put on your hearing aids, or how to change the batteries.

They cover those aspects of hearing aid use we don’t always talk about.

Share with those around you and help them understand or demystify what helps you.

It’s about changing expectations of what hearing aids do and ensuring you are a successful user of hearing aids. An added bonus of understanding these expectations – you will hear better where and when it matters to you.

If you have any more ideas on what would make a difference when you first get hearing aids, please email me on info@hearingcareprofessionals.com.au or comment on Hearing Care Professionals Facebook page.

Look forward to hearing from you.




5 Frequently Asked Questions About Misophonia Answered https://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/5-frequently-asked-questions-about-misophonia-answered/ Thu, 18 May 2017 11:44:12 +0000 http://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/?p=2735 Did you know that there was a new breakthrough study on misophonia published this year by Dr Kumar and his team from the Institute of Neuroscience at the Newcastle University and the Wellcome Centre for NeuroImaging at University College London (UCL)?

Breakthrough Misophonia Research

In the world of misophonia research, understanding and treatment, this study has resulted in significant discussion and interest. It builds on other research which looks at how and why some people find certain sounds aversive.

This study is a big step forward in the science of misophonia. Dr. Kumar and his team have identified where in the brain, people with misophonia respond to trigger sounds differently than other sounds.

This research study helps answer 5 key questions about misophonia and its biological mechanisms. Knowing what is happening in the brain helps us when developing techniques and treatments to help people with misophonia.

Is Misophonia A Real Disorder?

One of the reasons for this research was to find out if misophonia was a real disorder. Dr. Kumar states his team’s findings provide “strong evidence misophonia is a “real disorder. Specifically, using brain imaging (MRI) Kumar’s team found identifiable differences in the brains of misophonic individuals.

What Happens In My Brain When I Am Triggered?


This study answers this common question. It turns out that the brain of those experiencing misophonia respond to trigger sounds differently than to other sounds.

There’s a notable difference in the connectivity in the frontal lobe of the brain between the two cerebral hemispheres in people with misophonia. The difference appears due to higher myelination in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). The vmPFC sits almost right above the eye-socket, the bottom middle towards the front of the brain. It’s involved in processing and regulation of emotions like fear and empathy, and decision making.

“The ventromedial prefrontal cortex is central to understanding misophonia because it’s part of a complicated network of connections between numerous other areas of the brain. It both receives sensory information, information and influences the functioning of many other brain areas including those involved in memory, olfaction and perhaps of great importance, the amygdala (where fight/flight is mediated and where salience, or importance, is assigned to incoming sensory stimuli).” 

Research in why some people react to certain internal sounds, tinnitus, has found that developing/retraining/teaching parts of our frontal lobe makes it possible to reduce the reaction of the amygdala and associated parts of the brain to sounds the person finds difficult and aversive.

Misophonia isn’t simply a self-reported set of symptoms.

Instead, there may be objective neural responses occurring alongside a person’s subjective experiences. These patterns of brain-based responses probably play a central role in the cascade of biological, behavioural, emotional, and cognitive responses that occur once someone with misophonia is triggered by a sound.

Is Misophonia a Psychiatric or Neurological Disorder ?

This study does not directly tell us whether misophonia is best classified as a psychiatric disorder or neurological disorder. That wasn’t the point of the study. Instead, this research points a bright light right at where in the brain we might expect to see atypical neural responses to trigger sounds. The findings from this study suggests misophonia has neural underpinnings. This is important. However, from a scientific perspective, this is also true of neurological disorders and many psychiatric disorders.

How can a disorder that includes such strong emotional responses be thought of as a “brain-based” disorder?

This is a question often raised in round about ways in forums and discussions on misophonia.

Dr Rosenthal (Duke University) in an interview in Psychology Today in Feb 2017 describes it this way.

“Disorders and syndromes characterised by emotional responses are sometimes said to be “brain-based.” This is sometimes confusing to people, but the basic idea is that emotions include biological, behavioural, and cognitive responses to stimuli, and these responses all require brain systems. Other brain-based systems related to emotion also are probably involved in misophonia. For example, trigger sounds are sensory-based cues associated with a prior learning history that are attended to over other sounds and elicit emotional responses that include both behaviour and cognition. This means misophonia may be a brain-based condition that involves neural systems that govern our sensation, perception, attention, memory, learning, cognition, behaviour and emotion. That is a lot of complexity, and that’s why we need much more science done to shed light on the nature of misophonia.”

Rationale Underlying My Treatment Program For Misophonia

In summary, this study supports the possibility of use of treatments that focus on developing our frontal lobe functions of attention and learning. We can apply the principles I wrote about in 8 ways you can use your mind to change your brain to change your misophonia.

It’s possible to use train the brain to change just we need to apply the principles of positive neuropsychology and principles of sustained attention ie meditation, mindfulness, hypnosis and attention training building up the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe is that part of the brain that appears to have the ability to help us manage our sensations, perception, attention, memory, learning, cognition, behaviour and emotion.

My program for misophonia is based on these principles and it’s always reassuring to see science supporting the principles underlying any treatment programs. We have a long way to go in finding out what really works from the research perspective. In the meantime, I want to shine light on the possibility of change in your reaction to sounds. I see it daily at work.

Its always interesting to read the original article that’s sparked so much excitement. Enjoy and let me know your thoughts, either by email or on Facebook.

Look forward to hearing from you soon!

Original Article

Kumar, S., Hancock, OT., Sedley, W., Winston, JS., Callaghan, MF., Allen M., Cope, TE., Gander, PE., Bamiou, DE., Griffiths, TD (2017). The brain basis for misophonia. Current Biology.2017 Feb 20:27(4):527-533. DOI 10.1016/j.cub.2016.12.048. Epub 2017 Feb 2.

Mistakes Most Of Us Make In Our Relationships


Nolene Nielson is an experienced Australian Audiologist who is passionate about misophonia This article was first published at hearingcareprofessionals.com.au.

What Is the Latest In Invisible Hearing Aids? https://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/what-is-the-latest-in-invisible-hearing-aids/ Wed, 17 May 2017 13:00:36 +0000 http://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/?p=2747 Are you worried about others knowing you are wearing hearing aids? If so, today’s post about the latest Invisible Hearing Aids or Hidden Hearing Aids will help you.

I Don’t Want Anyone To Know I Am Wearing Hearing Aids?



Hearing Aids Versus Hearing Loss Dilemma



What Is An Invisible Hearing Aid?


All invisible hearing aids come in a range of technology levels. My best advice is always buy the best technology level you can afford. I fit my own parents with the best technology levels because I want them to have the best results possible.




Are Invisible Hearing Aids Suitable For Me?






Invisible hearing aids use the smaller batteries and this may cause problems if you are that dexterous. If you have difficulty handling the hearing aids or putting the batteries in, it can be frustrating. Obviously the smaller battery size means less battery life for each battery.

Review of 3 Brands Of Invisible Hearing Aids



Phonak has 2 Invisible Hearing Aids Models.

Virto B-Titanium Invisible Hearing Aids







Virto Venture Nano Invisible Hearing Aids




Starkey has consistently made the smallest invisible custom made hearing aids.

SoundLens Synergy


Starkey introduced the original SoundLens several years ago and updated it last year with the SoundLens Synergy making the device even smaller and they added a second wireless invisible hearing aid to the line up. Starkey SoundLens Synergy is available in top three levels of technology



Insio Primax IIC









Which Hearing Aid Is Best For You?

“As you can see Terry, there are a few considerations for you to consider” I said. “To make the final decision, your hearing test results, the shape and size of your ear canals, how much wax you produce and of course your budget will determine your final choice.








Why Isn’t My Partner Listening To Me? Advice On How To Improve My Relationships! https://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/how-to-improve-my-relationships/ Fri, 28 Apr 2017 13:35:40 +0000 http://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/?p=2718 You know the story. Your frustration levels when trying to talk to your partner are rising. Why bother? It’s too hard. They don’t want to hear me, I’m sure. This blog might just save your relationship or marriage.

It seems like only yesterday when Michael and Joan were sitting in my consulting room.”

Joan sat opposite me and told me how Michael came home from seeing his previous hearing person and told her that he had been told to tell her that she needed to look at him when she speaks to him.

“I almost killed him on the spot. I had been having to go to him and get his attention for what felt like decades at that stage. He would never come to me to see what I was saying”, Joan said.

“Surely it is not meant to be this hard to have a conversation with my husband. Why should I be the one working so hard.”

“Our marriage was almost over in that moment!”

“And Michael was just sat there and looked annoyed.”

“And to make it worse” says Joan,” I believe Michael is having problems at work because he isn’t alway hearing the message right. He has been counselled about this. We need him to stay working a little longer.”

Hold On A Moment! What’s Happening Here!

This is a message I shared with Michael and Joan.

It’s an important message. It is a message you hear talked about when hearing loss is concerned. Hearing aids or the hearing loss gets all the attention.

Its called communication.

Why Do I Need to Know About Communication?

But what is this communication!  Let’s begin with some definitions from the dictionary

  • The exchange of thoughts, messages, or information.
  • Interpersonal rapport, ie, quality relationships
  • The art and technique of using words effectively in imparting one’s ideas

“That’s nice to know, but how will that help me save my marriage”, says Joan.

You both need to implement some strategies so your interpersonal rapport improves and this will strengthen your relationship.

Communication had broken down between Joan and Michael some time ago. However, Joan was not giving up. Thank goodness for that.

If you want to know if you are a good communicator or not, just look at the result of your efforts to communicate. Did you get the response you expected? Or was it off track?

Michael quietly says “I hear “I need a loaf of bread” and it turns out that Joan was telling me “to go and have a rest”. I just don’t seem to get it right.”

Normally you blame the hearing loss or the hearing aids for not working properly.

What are Communication Breakdowns… Ugggh!!!

Michael continues on. “At work, I have to attend meeting and do these conference calls. I find it so frustrating as everyone is either on their phones, using speaker phones or doing something on their computers. It is just not easy to follow what is going on.”

Maybe you have some situations where you find your efforts to  communicate breakdowns.

The most important thing is for you to recognise a communication breakdown has occurred.

The good news is it is possible to repair/fix these communication breakdowns between each other.  Hearing Loss tends to create more opportunities for breakdowns. Mostly because the nature of hearing loss is it happens so slowly you are not aware of the changes that are happening to you both.

The 5 Changes to Improving Your Communication

The secret to improving how you relate and communicate with that special someone is implement my 5 steps. You can review these 5 essentials by clicking here.

  1. Change your environment,
  2. The person speaking has to make a change,
  3. The listener has to make a change,
  4. Are you using the technology appropriately?
  5. Have you both been practising what you are learning?

Remember, accurate communication exchanges between you both is necessary to build, maintain and nurture your relationship over time. Hearing loss does not have to interfere.

It changes how it might happen. However, it is possible if you both take action to make a difference to you both, if not your marriage.

And maybe Michael might keep his job. The ultimate goal is for both parties to keep their sanity.

I would love it if you shared your story with me either on my Facebook or by email. Your story can help others.

It’s by sharing and telling our stories that we start to reduce the frustrations of hearing loss.


Mistakes Most Of Us Make In Our Relationships


Nolene Nielson is an experienced Australian Audiologist who is passionate about hearing well. This article was first published at hearingcareprofessionals.com.au.

8 Ways You Can Use Your Mind to Change Your Brain to Change Your Misophonia https://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/8-ways-you-can-use-your-mind-to-change-your-brain-to-change-your-misophonia/ Thu, 20 Apr 2017 17:30:43 +0000 http://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/?p=2709 Did you know that many of us find the sounds of chewing or breathing off putting, and for some they’re unbearable?

What Is Misophonia?


These sounds are called “trigger sounds” by the misophonia community. The response is often immediate and an intense fight or flight feeling.

The impact of misophonia on someone lives can be devastating. Leading them to avoid so many situations, because they are unable to stay at a social function, eat with the family, stand the sound of their newborn sucking, and it even affects their relationships with those they love the most.

You have to remember the word misophonia was only coined in 2001. But aversive reactions to sounds has been studied for decades.

New hope come from the areas of neuroscience and neuropsychology, as we develop our understanding of neuroplasticity and how we can change our brains for the better.

The Impact of Misophonia On Your Life



Its comments like this that remind me of the impact misophonia has on your lives.

“I realise I have changed the whole dynamic of my family. No one eats together anymore. I go to my room and eat and the others eat at odd times. We used to be a family that ate together.”

“I finally muster up the courage to say something. That person proceeds to make the sound back to me.”

“It’s the feeling of dread when someone opens a pack of gum.”

“Genuinely wondering if you would be better off not being able to hear at all.”

“Your brain won’t stop thinking about the sound even after it’s gone.”

“You’re never going to get married, you know.”

Just imagine your life if you could eat with family and friends again, not have to feel dread, anger, that sinking feeling in your chest, wonder how fast you can get away or where you can go to get away? Just not to have that strong physical response to those sounds.

Using Your Mind to Change Your Brain


Here are 8 ways to help your brain help you with your misophonia:

  1. Use the principle as the brain changes, the mind changes, for better or worse. By understanding the brain’s natural negativity bias, it give us new options to change how it wired. How could you change your natural negativity bias just a little each day.
  2. Use the principle as the mind changes, the brain changes to focus on changing your mind about things. Start with simple things that may not be related to your misophonia but might be annoying, disgusting or making you a little angry.
  3. Use the principle you can use your mind to change the brain to change the mind for the better. Deep words here but so powerful if you just ponder their personal meaning for you.
  4. Be aware of how you usually think about at the end of the day? The fifty things that went right, or the one that went wrong? Like the guy who cut you off in traffic, what you wish you had said differently to a co-worker, or the one thing on your To Do list that didn’t get done . . .
  5. And change your awareness to what worked well today for you. Something good always happens, just sometimes we don’t notice it. Try to notice something good at least a half dozen times a day. Each time takes just 30 seconds or so. It’s private; no one needs to know you are taking in the good. You can do it on the fly in daily life, or at special times of reflection, like just before falling asleep (when the brain is especially receptive to new learning).
  6. Remind yourself at least once a day “ Whatever you pay attention to has a special power to change your brain. Attention is like a combination of spotlight and vacuum cleaner : It shines light on what it rests on and then sucks it into your brain and your self. “
  8. Enrich your life with the sounds you love or make you feel good. Develop positive experience around sounds again.

Any single time you do the above it will make only a little difference. But over time those little differences will add up, gradually weaving positive experiences into the fabric of your brain and your self.

These are the principles behind my treatment for misophonia. Applying these principles is not easy, that where the Accepting Sounds Film comes in. To provide you with a way to do the above in short daily sessions.

It’s Over To You Now

Let me know if you try any of these 8 ways to help your misophonia. They work!. It’s not easy! Just remember that it’s your brain’s negativity bias in the way.

If you want an appointment to see me contact my office by phone or email?





What Hearing Protection Apps Can I Use? https://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/hearing-protection-apps/ Thu, 20 Apr 2017 03:33:29 +0000 http://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/?p=2704 Today, it seems like technology touches every aspect of our lives. From grocery shopping to physical fitness to even starting our cars, we use smartphones to make our daily tasks easier and improve the quality of our lives.


How Loud is Too Loud?

  • Haven’t you always wanted to know how loud it really is in your favourite night spot?
  • Or if your neighbor’s dog is really barking that loud?
  • Maybe you recently dined in a noisy restaurant that made having a conversation very challenging?

Wouldn’t it be fun to find out how loud the environment is around you.

These sound level apps measure the sound level in your environment or from your streaming device and can tell you when you are being exposed to damaging noise levels. To use them well, it is useful to understand a few concepts.

What is a decibel?

The volume or intensity of sound is measured in units called decibels (dB), generally on a scale from zero to 140 (any higher than 140 and you are in trouble immediately). The higher the number in decibels, the louder the noise. The louder the noise, the greater the risk of hearing loss. Hearing loss can occur with regular exposure to noise levels of of 110 decibels or more for periods longer than one minute.

What happens as loudness increases is an important concept to understand? Decibels are measured on a  logarithmic scale, which means that the difference between values increases as the values get larger.

The list below gives you an idea of how noticeable a change in decibel level will be to you:

  • 1dB  –  Not noticeable
  • 3dB  –  Noticeable to humans
  • 5dB  –  Clearly noticeable change
  • 10dB  –  About twice as loud
  • 20dB  –  About four times as loud

How loud does it have to be to damage my hearing?

The risk of sound damaging your hearing is in fact based on how loud and for how long you listen to it. Continued exposure to noise at or above 80-85dB over time can cause hearing loss, however, the exposure length in that case would be hours.

Generally speaking, if you have ringing in your ear or your hearing seems dull after you have been exposed to sound (including loud music) or noise you have exposed yourself too much.

However, it is important for me to point out that you may still be damaging your hearing even if you don’t have these symptoms.If loud music ever feels way too loud or causes pain in your ears, leave the room or turn it down immediately.

Without noise measuring equipment it is impossible to tell what noise level you are being exposed to. So, a handy rule of thumb is that if you can’t talk to someone two metres away without shouting, the noise level could be damaging.

Download one of the sound level apps on your smartphone, and use it to understand the sound around you.

How accurate are these sound level apps? Are they as accurate as a $3000 sound level meter? They best used as a guide to what the noise levels are and give you some guidance. They don’t quite replace a dedicated high quality system with a great microphone but they do give you guidelines so you start to understand how loud is too loud.

Now you have to use this information to make sure you are safe and looking after your hearing.

My recommendations are

  1. Get a hearing test either a baseline hearing assessment or a comprehensive evaluation of your hearing. You need to know just how good your hearing really is?
  2. Consider how long you are being exposed to any particular noise as well as the cumulative noise exposure per day.

Looking after your hearing, is not just about getting an app on your phone and measuring the level of the noise, it is also about understanding what your need to hear, how long you are going to be in that situation, what else you might be doing that day, how long you listen to music at a slightly loud level that day , what you need to hear and not hear and last but by no means least your personal genetic risk factor.

Over To You

Would you ever use a sound level app? And if so why?

Love to hear from you!


Hearing Protection Apps



What Exactly is Misophonia https://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/what-exactly-is-misophonia/ Wed, 19 Apr 2017 02:43:22 +0000 http://www.hearingcareprofessionals.com.au/?p=2698 These sounds might be:

  • hearing someone eating with his or her mouth open,
  • sneezing,
  • coughing,
  • sniffling,
  • snoring,
  • chewing gum or
  • throat-clearing?

It’s when you feel rage when you hear:

  • certain birds,
  • other people’s noise (e.g. dogs barking, music)
  • A pen tapping

And all you want to do is run away or even lash out at the source of the sound?

You are totally:

  • disgusted,
  • annoyed and
  • irritated by those sounds.

You may experience:

  • A feeling of pressure in your chest and arms,
  • clenched teeth, and
  • tightened muscles.

There are so many questions?

Why are you experiencing these reactions?

Why have you these sensitivities to certain sounds?

And feel like you are the only one who has these problems?

After all other people report they barely notice those sounds that affect you so strongly?

The literal translation of the word misophonia is “hatred of sound” but I prefer the following definition to help explain to you your reaction to some sounds.

“ Misophonia is a condition in which a person reacts extremely negatively to certain sounds that most people take little or no notice of ” – Misophonia.com

The term “Misophonia” is relatively new. It was only coined in 2001. (Jastrabroff) Yet research has been going on for decades in the areas of “auditory over-responsivity,” and “auditory sensitivities”. In fact, the different ways in which the brain (or the nervous system) reacts to sounds have been studied in neuroscience for half a century.

Do I have Misophonia? Or is it something else?

It seems like only the other day, but it was over 30 years ago when I met my first client with unexplained sensitivity to sound. They could not tolerate any sounds louder than a whisper. This was my first experience of extreme sensitivity to sound. I was puzzled and it has led me into asking questions ever since.

There are 4 different types of sound tolerance problems.


In hindsight, I met my first person experiencing misophonia about 20 years ago while I was working in a Tinnitus clinic in Brisbane Australia.

I remember their words and strong despair, as they told me “I can no longer eat with the family. They disgust me and make me so angry. I have to leave the room. “

In the last 10 years, and the last 5 specifically, I have seen more and more people seeking help for their reaction to certain sounds and the debilitating effects it has been having on their lives.

There is currently no formal, validated assessment of misophonia. It takes time and research to come with such tools.

Hence, during a consultation with me, you will always be given every assessment questionnaire available today.


How about you fill out this questionnaire and see how you rate your misophonia.

Please rate the following statements by marking the rating column that describes your feelings about your sound issues.


0 = not at all, 1 = a little of the time, 2 = a good deal of the time,

3 = almost all the time

0 1 2 3
1. My sound issues currently make me unhappy
2. My sound issues currently create problems for me.
3. My sound issues have recently made me feel angry.
4. I feel that no one understands my problems with certain sounds.
5. My sound issues do not seem to have a known cause.
6. My sound issues currently make me feel helpless.
7. My sound issues currently interfere with my social life.
8. My sound issues currently make me feel isolated.
9. My sound issues have recently created problems for me in groups.
10. My sound issues negatively affect my work/school life (currently or recently).
11. My sound issues currently make me feel frustrated.
12. My sound issues currently impact my entire life negatively.
13. My sound issues have recently made me feel guilty.
14. My sound issues are classified as ‘crazy’.
15. I feel that no one can help me with my sound issues.
16. My sound issues currently make me feel hopeless.
17. I feel that my sound issues will only get worse with time.
18. My sound issues currently impact my family relationships.
19. My sound issues have recently affected my ability to be with other people.
20. My sound issues have not been recognised as legitimate.
21. I am worried that my whole life will be affected by sound issues.

Results: Add up each of the columns and then add the results together to give you a score out of 63.

If your score is

  • Between 0 – 15 You have a Normal to Mild reaction to certain sounds
  • Between 16 – 32 You have a Mild to Moderate reaction to certain sounds
  • Between 33 – 48 You have a Moderate reaction to certain sounds
  • Between 49 – 63 You have a severe reaction to certain sounds

Do you still think you have misophonia?

Are there any treatments for misophonia?

Of course there are!

However like the test to diagnose misophonia, there are no evidence based research results available on these treatment programs.

There is no cure for misophonia. Cures rarely exist in the health area. Any offer of a cure or fast recovery is likely to be a scam.

However, the good news is our understanding of how the brain reacts to aversive sound both internal and external gives us some clues.

“It is possible to take control of your misophonia and improve the quality of your life. “

I have worked with many people who have developed the ability to ignore or more importantly not notice those sounds most of the time.

This alone has been the difference between their reactions to those sounds being intolerable to being only a minor annoyance.

How? Tell me more?

5 Strategies For Subduing Your Misophonia

Let’s start with the desired outcome you want to achieve. I found it difficult to find the right word to define possible outcomes you would desire. So, I looked up the definition of “subdue” and this is what I found.

sub·due /səbˈd(y)o͞o/ verb

Verb: subdue 3rd person present: subdues past tense: subdued past participle: subdued gerund or present participle: subduing

  1. overcome, quieten, or bring under control (a feeling or person).: “she managed to subdue an instinct to applaud”.

What do you think of this word?

Just ask yourself, what would have to happen for me to feel ok about my reaction to those sounds?

I’d love to hear from you your thoughts on what it is you want?

5 Strategies to Implement Now For Your Misophonia!

Here are the 5 initial strategies you can take to reduce your reaction to those sounds.

  1. Seek a consultation with someone who specialises in the area of misophonia. You need to Identify if you have misophonia or if there is something else happening? Just having a consultation with someone who knows about misophonia appears to make a difference.
  2. Gain an understanding of how Audiology and Brain Science demystifies how and why you react so strongly to certain sounds. Just knowing how the hearing (auditory) system and brain works helps.

“It may be normal for your body to react the way it does, just it may not be useful for you.”

  1. Introduce more sound into your life rather than trying to block it out. It’s possible to use sound to reduce your awareness of those sounds.
  2. Reduce where possible long term use of earplugs and noise excluding headphones. Overuse can lead to other sound sensitivity issues.

You may find it useful to use earplugs and headphones with sound playing through them but it is not recommended avoiding sound altogether.

  1. Take up activities that grab your attention. Maybe learn some form of mindfulness, meditation, or exercises like yoga or Tai chi. Gentle regular exercise is important too. I teach more about this in my programs.

The journey to recovery is not unlike working on achieving a happy and fulfilling life. There is not one right answer. No one exact recipe that will work for everyone.

And sometimes in those moments you will believe a problem exists where there is none. It may just be normal to feel disgusted in that situation.

You don’t need to believe it is your fault. That there is something wrong with you.

I don’t think I will ever be cured of wanting to find a better way of reducing your symptoms. Not that I believe cure is possible or useful by the way.

I do know that I will learn from you. I will experiment with what works and what doesn’t.

And I hope, just like me you will cut yourself some slack… and maybe give my treatment program a go along the way.

You may want to take up my offer of a short 15-minute complimentary consultation to work out if you would benefit from my treatment program. You can book your appointment online here.


Over to you

I’d love to hear your comments about this post. It is meant to make you think? What questions come up for you?

Your comments are appreciated at info@hearingcareprofessionals.com.au


What exactly is Misophonia


