Signia’s Julia van Huyssteen is again joined by Alex Brooks-Johnson, the CEO of Tinnitus UK (the only charity in the UK dedicated to tinnitus) and Sonja Jones, who runs Cardiff Hearing and sits on the scientific advisory board of Tinnitus UK.

The round table discussion from Episode 1 continues, and leads to some more important topics, including the impact of tinnitus on mental health as well as the reality of accessing tinnitus services in the UK.

This episode also gives some pointers on actions that individuals can do to prevent tinnitus in those instances where hearing health can be influenced. Lastly, when an individual is already living with tinnitus, helpful tips are given regarding things that may alleviate the experience of tinnitus.

Signia and innovation go hand-in-hand, and the same can be said for Signia’s in-build tinnitus therapies! Found within all of their hearing aids, combining advanced sound technology with personalised functionality, Signia’s tinnitus solutions are designed to distract from tinnitus and enhance hearing clarity – improving quality of life for those living with Tinnitus.

For more information about Tinnitus UK head to https://tinnitus.org.uk/.
For more information about Signia Hearing UK, head to https://www.signia.net/en-gb/tinnitus/therapy/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During this episode, Signia’s Julia van Huyssteen is joined by Alex Brooks-Johnson, the CEO of Tinnitus UK (the only charity in the UK dedicated to tinnitus) and Sonja Jones, who runs Cardiff Hearing and sits on the scientific advisory board of Tinnitus UK.

The three of them sit down for a round table discussion that explores what tinnitus is as well as current treatment recommendations. Alex and Sonja talk about their most recent research project, which identifies some training needs for professionals that may come into contact with a person living with tinnitus.

Signia and innovation go hand-in-hand, and the same can be said for Signia’s in-build tinnitus therapies! Found within all of their hearing aids, combining advanced sound technology with personalised functionality, Signia’s tinnitus solutions are designed to distract from tinnitus and enhance hearing clarity – improving quality of life for those living with Tinnitus.

For more information about Tinnitus UK head to https://tinnitus.org.uk/.
For more information about Signia Hearing UK, head to https://www.signia.net/en-gb/tinnitus/therapy/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Professor Hugill and Julia delve into how invisible disabilities impact hearing experiences, discussing terms like neurodivergence and aural divergence. The conversation explores tinnitus, its effects on musicians, auditory processing disorder (APD), misophonia, diplacusis, and palinacousis.

They emphasize the importance of patient-centered care and raising awareness about aural diversity.

Check out the Aural Diversity webpage for more information: https://auraldiversity.org/

EPISODE SUMMARY

the second and final episode of 'Sounding It Out’, Series 4, Julia Van Huyssteen, Head of Audiology at Signia UK and Ireland, hosts Professor Andrew Hugill from the University of Leicester to explore beyond the audiogram into various individual experiences of hearing. They delve into conditions like neurodivergence and aural divergence, explaining terms such as tinnitus, auditory processing disorder (APD), misophonia, diplacusis, and palinacousis. Professor Hugill shares personal insights and discusses the complexity each condition brings, especially in musicians.

He likens neurodivergence to the difference between operating systems like Windows and Mac. They talk about how often individuals with normal audiograms still struggle to process sound and the potential overlap with other conditions, emphasizing the need for personalized patient care. The importance of raising awareness about these conditions, making reasonable adjustments, and providing appropriate support is underscored.

The episode stresses the importance of patient-centered care, acknowledging the unique needs and circumstances of each individual. Listeners are encouraged to visit the Aural Diversity Network website for further information and to revisit previous episodes of the podcast to expand their understanding of hearing health.

Finally, the show calls for more dialogue on less-known conditions and invites listeners to suggest future topics to continue raising awareness about aural diversity.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to the 'Sounding It Out' podcast, brought to you by Signia UK & Ireland! In this episode, your host Julia Van Huyssteen is joined by Professor Andrew Hugill, Deputy Director at the Institute of Digital Culture at the University of Leicester. Together, they delve into the concept of aural diversity, which acknowledges that everyone hears differently. Professor Hugel shares insights from his vast experience in music, research, and personal journey with hearing issues like autism, severe hearing loss, and Meniere's disease. They discuss the origins of the Aural Diversity Network, the limitations of the traditional audiogram, and how technology can help.

Check out the Aural Diversity webpage for more information: https://auraldiversity.org/

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of 'Sounding It Out,' hosted by Julia Van Huyssteen, the podcast focuses on aural diversity and hearing health, featuring guest Professor Andrew Hugill from the University of Leicester. Julia and Professor Hugel, who is also an autistic individual with severe hearing loss, tinnitus, and Meniere's disease, delve into how unique each person's hearing is and how traditional audiology norms based on a limited sample from the 1950s-60s fall short in addressing this diversity.

They discuss the concept of aural diversity, the importance of recognizing various hearing experiences, and the founding of the Aural Diversity Network in 2018. Professor Hugel shares his personal journey of dealing with hearing differences and how it led him to create music suitable for people with aural divergences. They touch upon how socio-economic, geographical, and ethnic differences impact hearing and the critical differences in hearing at various life stages, from fetal development to old age.

Additionally, the conversation highlights various hearing conditions like sensory-neural and conductive hearing loss, as well as auditory processing disorders and conditions like hyperacusis and tinnitus, emphasizing how these affect people beyond what is measurable by traditional audiological methods.

Towards the end, they discuss the role of technology, from hearing aids to cochlear implants, in re-engineering the soundscape for individuals rather than merely correcting hearing loss. The episode concludes by encouraging listeners to broaden their understanding of hearing differences and inviting them to stay tuned for further episodes that will explore specific causes of hearing variations.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Dr. Barbara Weinstein and Julia talk about the importance of audibility - promoting social interactions and the importance of a ‘patient-centric’ approach when treating individuals with Dementia.

You can find out more about Dr Weinstein’s work here.
You can explore more about the disease by looking at the Alzheimer’s website here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Dr. Barbara Weinstein and Julia talk about the Audiologist’s responsibility when treating individuals with hearing loss and Dementia. The spotlight for this episode surrounds the topic of what Audiologists can do ‘here’ and ‘now’ – highlighting the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach, and any ‘red flags’ that should be included in case-history taking.

You can find out more about Dr Weinstein’s work here.
You can explore more about the disease by looking at the Alzheimer’s website here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the first episode in a new mini-series, dedicated to exploring Dementia and its links with hearing loss and brain health. We’ve made this series to coincide with Alzheimer’s Awareness month, as we know that many people living with Dementia may also be suffering from hearing problems, as they share very similar characteristics. It is estimated that by 2030, the number of people with Dementia in the UK alone will be more than 1 million, so it’s vital that we (as Audiologists) understand the issues and how support can be offered.

Throughout this series, Julia is joined by the internationally acclaimed Dr. Barbara Weinstein. She is an Author in the field of ‘geriatric audiology’ with specific research interests in Dementia and social isolation, person-centered care and quantification of patient reported outcomes. Dr. Weinstein has long advocated for the integration of hearing health into the mainstream, and her research has profound implications at the intersection of audiology, public health and society in general.

Throughout the series, we’ll discuss the Audiologist's responsibility in the prevention and treatment of Dementia, asking what we can do at present when looking after a Dementia patient, as well as doing a deeper dive into the Audiologist's rehabilitative role thereafter.

In this episode we will be introducing Dementia and looking at how it links to hearing loss & audiology.
You can find out more about Dr Weinstein’s work here.
You can explore more about the disease by looking at the Alzheimer’s website here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.