Audiology features
Building partnerships for person-centred care
The Ida Institute are a renowned organisation that develops tools, materials and resources to help hearing care professionals integrate person-centred care into clinical practice. Lise Lotte Bundesen has been at the helm of this organisation since its inception; in this...
In conversation with Shelly Chadha 2019
Shelly Chadha works at the World Health Organisation as the Medical Officer for ear and hearing care. Here, Alex Griffiths-Brown interviews her to find out more about her career, challenges she’s faced and her ambitions for the future. Shelly Chadha....
Sound Seekers: audiology in the developing world
Kavita Prasad, the current CEO of Soundseekers, is an inspirational woman in a leadership role within the audiology world. Here, she gives us an overview of the scope of the charity and the ways in which they improve the lives...
Direct-to-consumer hearing devices: a need to combine cosmetic appeal with device capabilities
How safe and desirable are direct-to-consumer amplification devices? A team has put a range of devices through their paces and compared them to a standard NHS hearing device. Why do most individuals who would benefit from hearing aids not try...
Hearing aids 2019: today’s technology
High-end or basic hearing aids: does the technology level make a difference? Catherine Palmer shares the current evidence base and suggests where hearing healthcare professionals can make the most impact. The most common complaint from individuals with mild-to-moderately severe hearing...
Hearing aid microphone considerations for binaural hearing: When to select natural or aggressive directional microphone technology?
Should I use omni-directional or fixed directionality? Does it make a difference if I’m fitting a unilateral hearing loss? Mark Laureyns discusses the current evidence on directional microphones and provides practical advice on the systems and when to employ them....
Hearing care systems in Europe – can we do more?
52 million Europeans experience hearing loss but many don’t find their way to professional hearing care. Lidia Best looks at strategies to improve the uptake of amplification at a national level [1]. With rising numbers of people experiencing hearing loss,...
Misophonia – a psychological disorder?
Historically, there has been disagreement regarding misophonia classification, with questions surrounding whether it is a psychological or physiological disorder. Dr Jennifer Jo Brout discusses misophonia classification, research, and guidelines for the role of the psychologist. Photo courtesy of Pexels. What...
Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy for adults with tinnitus
Tinnitus remains one of the most prevalent and distressing audiological symptoms. Although specialist tinnitus services are in high demand, geographical and service constraints result in limited access to these services. Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) has been developed to provide...
Hyperacusis-related distress and comorbid psychiatric illness
Research suggests that over 50% of patients presenting with hyperacusis also present with some form of psychiatric disorder. With this in mind, Dr Aazh outlines what tools clinicians can use to screen for psychological disorders and what path to take...
Psychogenic vestibular disorders: understanding and management
‘Psychogenic vestibular disorders’, also known as ‘functional vertigo and dizziness’, are common causes of dizziness and balance difficulty. Although our understanding of their underlying pathophysiology remains incomplete, Drs Diego Kaski and Amy Edwards outline how early identification and positive diagnosis...
Middle ear muscle disorders: presentation, diagnosis and management
Patients often report symptoms relating to disorders of the middle ear muscles. Prof Bance gives us an overview of the anatomy and function, as well as guides our diagnosis and management. The middle ear muscles (MEMs) are a mystery, both...
