Finally, after having seen hyperacusis patients for the last 14 years, there is a comprehensive course that hearing health professionals can attend which gives an up-to-date view of the research across all areas of hyperacusis management.
Over four two-hour online sessions, the team from the University of Nottingham presented talks with interactive quizzes, ongoing discussions in the live chat and fast turnaround of research papers linked to questions posed.
The multidisciplinary team of speakers discussed topics such as definitions, epidemiology, assessment, questionnaires, research questions, the role of sound therapy and informational counselling, alongside many other topics. They were honest about the point that research is currently up to and tried to engage the delegates in being open about their current clinical practices so that they could learn more about what is being delivered.
Most of the talks challenged me to consider new, practical things in my clinical practice and confirmed that what we deliver is based on current evidence (although I hadn’t always recognised how limited this was in some places!)
One of the strengths of this delegation was the breadth of knowledge from around the world. Many delegates had a range of experience from public and private clinical care, industry and research backgrounds, and the online nature of the course made it accessible across most time zones.
One of my favourite parts of the course was the full range of resources which were available to the delegates after the course. All recordings, handbooks, papers, and interactive results were saved to the online portal so they could be accessed and viewed again.
What made this course stand out over others was the discussion which started to develop with the course leaders about the opportunity to create a new Hyperacusis Network, providing opportunities for peer support, the sharing of resources, and to develop and engage in new research. In an area which is so niche, to have the ability to connect with the speakers and delegates and tap into this depth of knowledge was certainly an attractive opportunity.
If you are looking for a comprehensive course to progress your management of people with hyperacusis, which is evidence based, open to discussion and meets its learning objectives then look no further.
Report by Laura Turton, Adult Audiology Team Leader, NHS Tayside, UK.
