You're not imagining it - and you're not alone
Tinnitus
is the perception of sound (ringing, buzzing, hissing, whooshing)
without an external source. About 1 in 6 Australians live with constant
tinnitus. For many it's a minor background awareness. For others it can
significantly affect sleep, concentration and quality of life.
The
good news is that tinnitus can almost always be helped. Not necessarily
cured - an honest clinician won't promise a complete elimination. But
understood, managed, and made significantly less intrusive? Yes, in the
vast majority of cases. We approach every tinnitus consultation with
compassion and respect, because we understand how disruptive it can be.
The most common cause is noise-induced hearing loss - damage to the hair cells of the inner ear. Other triggers include ear wax buildup, ear infections, certain medications, and age-related hearing changes. Stress doesn't cause tinnitus but can make it feel more prominent. We assess your tinnitus thoroughly to understand what's contributing in your individual case.
There's no universal cure, but there are effective management strategies. Sound therapy (including hearing aids where hearing loss is present) can reduce the contrast between tinnitus and background sound, making it less noticeable. Tinnitus retraining therapy, cognitive behavioural techniques and lifestyle adjustments can all help. Our role is to understand your tinnitus and work through the options with you.
Often, yes - particularly where there's an underlying hearing loss. By amplifying the sounds around you, hearing aids reduce the silence in which tinnitus tends to feel loudest. Many modern devices also have dedicated tinnitus sound-therapy features built in. If hearing aids aren't appropriate for your situation, other sound-enrichment strategies are available.
No referral is required. However, if you've developed sudden one-sided tinnitus, or your tinnitus is pulsatile (rhythmic, like a heartbeat), we'd recommend seeing your GP promptly - these can occasionally indicate an underlying medical condition. In that case, please don't delay the GP visit.
Book a Tinnitus Assessment