Living with Tinnitus and Hyperacusis

by David Baguley, Don J. McFerran, Lawrence McKenna

Tinnitus can be a terrible affliction, both for the individual, and also for friends and family,
and many people with tinnitus are currently left to fend for themselves.
Despite this, prospects for recovery have never been better, based on recent advances in
psychology, auditory neuroscience and medicine. Tinnitus (colloquially known as ringing in
the ears) is common, affecting some five percent of people. Hyperacusis, or
hypersensitivity of hearing, is commonly associated with troublesome tinnitus. However,
these basic definitions give no idea of the individual, even idiosyncratic nature of both
disorders, which can be profoundly affected by someone's personality and psychological
state. While this may complicate medical treatment, it does mean that self-help
techniques can often be effective in minimizing the distress caused by these disorders,
which can range from lack of sleep and irritability, to loss of concentration and confidence.
The latest edition of Living with Tinnitus and Hyperacusis looks at strategies for living with
tinnitus and hyperacusis, and includes a complete program for recovery. It features
the latest research from the fields of psychology, neuroscience and medicine to offer a full
overview of the causes, impact, and most effective treatments available. It has practical
advice on relaxation and sound therapy as well as insights into relieving the stress of
tinnitus and hyperacusis. It also contains advice on misophonia and related disorders.

224 pages, Paperback

Published February 15, 2022

Reviews

[alexander shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I should have paid more attention to the title; notice it says "living with" not "curing" or "helping". It's not that good an omen when on the first page of a book it says 'there is no cure for this condition'. However, reading this book made me realize two things: first, I don't have nearly as bad tinnitus as other people do. I don't find it causes me crippling anxiety or depression and I don't hear it all the time, it's just annoying and keeps me up at night (and not even all the time). Second, I have hyperacusis, which I didn't know. I just assumed that, having not been exposed to many loud sounds through my life, I had a normal sense of hearing and was therefore sensitive to loud sounds like everyone, but apparently I am more sensitive than most--concerts and bars and other loud environments are definitely painful to be in. But I do wonder about the tinnitus; mine can get so bad that at times I swear I will go deaf if it doesn't stop; it physically hurts me. I often turn on very quiet music at night to help me focus on something else and it does a pretty good job, and other than doing CBT to help me live with it there was really nothing else useful in this book except for maybe asking an ENT about it.

[Kelly Greenwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book helpful at explaining tinnitus and providing strategies for living with the condition.