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Today’s episode revisits the subject of Tinnitus, a highly debatable and often requested topic. 

This time, I am joined by Tinnitus expert Dr. Ben Thompson, who will be sharing his tips on how to deliver help and support to those suffering from this condition.

This week on All About Audiology: 

* 2:02 – Please support our podcast if you can, by visiting our Patreon account! 

* 2:20 – Dr. Ben’s mom is a speech and language pathologist. When he was considering future career options, she suggested audiology. After looking into this profession, he began to feel a connection to preventing hearing loss.

* 3:20 – He participated in a new program, University of the Pacific, in San Francisco. This was taught by leading audiologists from the UCSF, one of the top 10 hospitals in the country.

* 5:33 – There are so many different paths you can take as an audiology student, so consider all of your options!

* 6:22 – If someone is suffering from tinnitus, treat the person as a whole. Tinnitus can be aggravated by stress, so getting to the root of the problem is important.

* 6:48 – While doing his externship at UCSF medical center, Dr. Ben had a patient travel 4 hours for a 90 minute consultation with him. This gave Dr. Ben the idea for online tinnitus therapy.  

* 10:14 – The most popular video featured on Dr. Ben’s Youtube channel so far has been “What Does Tinnitus Sound Like?” and lets the viewer experience different tinnitus sounds.

* 12:14 – “The Ultimate Guide to Tinnitus Relief” is an Ebook written by Dr. Ben, and is filled with simple strategies for controlling tinnitus. This can be found on his website puretinnitus.com.

* 14:57 – Between the ages of 6-8, children become more self aware about what’s happening in their body. It is around this age where they might begin to voice their discomfort from tinnitus. 

* 19:50 – Not all tinnitus is created equal – the type of treatment and its success depends on the individual. Just because one approach helped someone with mild symptoms, it doesn’t mean the same approach will help the next person. 

* 22:16 – If you can get the body and mind feeling healthier, tinnitus can become less of a problem. This is why it is important to find out a patient’s history, to learn what might have triggered the tinnitus.

* 34:03 – Dr. Ben is now reviewing different hearing devices from large and small brands on his YouTube channel. The videos will all be tinnitus and hearing focused. 

* 35:54 – No matter the current stage of your child’s journey, there will always be unknowns. Do the best you can with the resources you have.

* 37:48 – As an audiologist, it’s fine if you don’t feel comfortable counselling tinnitus patients. In this case, the best thing you can do is give the patient resources so they can explore different avenues on their own.

For more resources and research visit:

All About Audiology Website