People You May Meet
Your Doctor
The first step is to see your doctor, who may refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) or audiology department straight away or suggest that you wait and see if the problem resolves spontaneously. This may seem an odd idea, but, perhaps surprisingly, many cases of tinnitus get better without intervention.Some doctors arrange a hearing test at the surgery, using either normal audiometric equipment or a small screening device. They can also treat cases of tinnitus associated with infections or blockage of the ear by wax.
In contrast to many other countries, people in the UK cannot refer themselves to an ENT surgeon or NHS audiology department, but require a letter of referral from their GP.
ENT Surgeon Or Audio-Vestibular Physician
On referral, this hospital-based doctor is likely to be the first person you meet and is usually an ENT surgeon - a doctor who has been trained in disorders of the head and neck and carries out surgical operations. All ENT surgeons have received training in the management of tinnitus (like retraining therapy), but relatively few regard themselves as tinnitus specialists or even fully understand anything about tinnitus treatment. Most have a subspecialty interest such as the nose and sinuses, children, tumors of the head and neck or conditions of the ears. The latter group are sometimes known as otologists.If you have a specific medical conditions associated with tinnitus, your ENT surgeon may suggest an operation. Otherwise, this is very unusual for people with tinnitus as the vast majority do not need surgery.
In a few areas of the country your doctor may be able to refer you to an audiovestibular physician (or audiological physician). These are doctors who have received specialist training in conditions of the auditory and balance system. There are, however, very few audiovestibular physicians in the UK.
Most doctors will take a medical history, examine you and arrange further tests and investigations. Once the diagnosis is clear, most doctors will refer you on to other members of the team to discuss which type of tinnitus treatment to try first, though a few doctors will want to have a hands-on role in your treatment.
Audiologist
Audiology departments are staffed principally by audiologists - health-care professionals who are trained to perform tests of hearing and balance. They also fit hearing aids and other devices used in sound retraining therapy. In some tinnitus clinics, audiologists are trained in counseling and a few have some training in psychological treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Sometimes the audiologist may be the first professional that you meet after referral rather than an ENT surgeon.Hearing Therapist
In many hospital departments, hearing therapists are the main providers of tinnitus treatment. These are health professionals who provide a rehabilitative service for people with all types of audiological difficulties. They also undertake tasks such as helping people to use their hearing aids effectively and teaching lip-reading. Unlike audiologists, they do not generally perform hearing tests or fit hearing aids.In a very few hospitals, doctors can refer people with tinnitus directly to audiologists and/or hearing therapists.
