Starting the conversation.
Research shows there is a close correlation between tinnitus, depression and anxiety (Hackenberg et al, 2023).
On Friday the 14th of March our audiologist, Ruth Bannister, attended a workshop run by the British Association of Audiology (BSA) special interest group. This group included audiologists, researchers and a cognitive behavioural therapist.
The learning outcome: How to start the conversation around mental health with tinnitus and hyperacusis patients.
The day covered several important themes and strategies including how to use targeted questionnaires and how to use their outcomes to best support and signpost patients. It also focused on understanding when a patient needs an onward referral for further support. It highlighted that it is key for audiologists to understand their scope of practice and have referral pathways available to them. This can mean shared care of a patient with a counsellor, general practitioner (GP), cognitive behavioural therapist or psychologist.
There was the opportunity to discuss the current state of tinnitus services in the UK and share ideas with peers on how they are approaching tinnitus clinics and how audiologists can incorporate peer reviews and support for each other moving forward.
There was also time for case studies, using role play and sharing experience of patient outcomes that clinicians had previously treated.
The current BSA and National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for tinnitus are due for review, with new updates planned, following the recent research shared from Tinnitus UK.
It was also highlighted that there are currently only minimal guidelines available for hyperacusis, something which needs to change.
Ruth commented “The day was helpful and provided a good source of support and guidance. There is hope for further workshops covering management plans, paediatric populations and peer reviews”
Tinnitus and Its Relation to Depression, Anxiety, and Stress—A Population-Based Cohort Study – PMC British Society of Audiology (BSA)