Adelaide Tinnitus and Hearing Care

09/05/2026

An important update for our veteran community, and why I’m speaking up.

If you're a veteran with tinnitus, or you know someone who is, there's something important happening right now that you need to know about.

From March 2026, DVA has changed how it handles tinnitus claims. Instead of being able to see an audiologist of your choice, veterans are now being referred directly to Hearing Australia for assessment and treatment. We believe this decision, while well-intentioned, is going to make things harder for the veterans who deserve the most specialised care available. Here's why I’m concerned.

Tinnitus is not a simple condition.
It can devastate sleep, concentration, relationships, and mental health. Proper assessment and treatment takes time, specialist training, and a genuine understanding of how tinnitus affects every part of a person's life.

Veterans deserve choice.
Many of our veteran patients also live with PTSD. They have built trust with their clinician over months or years. That therapeutic relationship is not a nice-to-have, it is central to getting good outcomes. Taking away the right to choose your own provider doesn't just feel wrong. The evidence tells us it produces worse results.

The new pathway has some serious gaps.
Under the new model, veterans with high levels of tinnitus distress have to wait for a psychology referral before they can access specialist tinnitus treatments. But for many people, tinnitus treatment actually helps make psychological therapy more effective, not the other way around. The order matters. And the cut-off scores being used don't account for individual clinical need, we regularly refer patients to psychology who wouldn't qualify under this model, because I can see they need that support.

We've seen this before.
When the NDIS had problems with providers doing the wrong thing, the response affected everyone, including the providers doing the right thing by their clients. We understand DVA may be responding to similar concerns. But the answer is to punish unethical providers, not to remove access and choice for the people who need care most. Punish the wrongdoers, don't punish the veterans.

There is a better way.
The world's leading tinnitus researcher, Dr James Henry, has spent 35 years developing a stepped-care framework specifically designed for veteran populations, matching people to the right level of care, at the right time, with the right provider. I believe DVA should build its approach around that evidence base, restore veteran choice, and create a vetted list of specialist tinnitus providers with proper clinical standards and accountability.

At Adelaide Tinnitus and Hearing Care, our tinnitus assessments run for 90 minutes. I include comprehensive diagnostic testing including ultra high frequency testing and cochlear hair cell function, tests that aren’t completed in a hearing aid sales clinic. I provide education and counselling, and every patient leaves with a personalised management plan of they can start using straight away, because we know how long the waiting can be for a DVA claim to be approved. I am trained in Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, Neuromonics, Oritone and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, specialist, evidence-based treatment approaches. I work with psychologists to support the whole person, not just the ears.

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Su***de was unequivocal, veterans have been failed by systems that prioritised administrative convenience over clinical need. This pilot repeats that pattern in a different domain. Veterans served this country. They deserve a system designed around their clinical needs, built with specialist input, and accountable to outcomes, not one designed around procurement decisions made without consulting the people who actually treat this condition.

I have written formally to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and to my local MP because I believe our veterans deserve better than this. If you are a veteran affected by these changes, or if you'd like to share your experience, please reach out to your local Federal member of Parliament. And if you know someone who needs to see this, please share it.

https://www.dva.gov.au/newsroom/vetaffairs/vetaffairs-vol-42-no1-april-2026/improving-wellbeing-through-increased-access-to-treatment

06/05/2026

6 signs your hearing deserves attention that aren't just "I can't hear."

Most hearing difficulties don't start with silence. They start with small things you explain away. Swipe through and see how many land for you →

1. Struggling to follow conversations in noisy rooms; cafes, family dinners, meetings
2. Turning the TV up louder than others want it
3. Missing words; especially consonants like S, F, TH
4. Feeling exhausted after a day of conversations (this one is called listening fatigue, and it's very real)
5. Quietly stepping back from social situations without quite realising why
6. Asking people to repeat themselves, and hoping they don't notice

If any of those feel familiar, it's worth getting a proper assessment. Our tests how you hear in quiet AND in background noise because that's where hearing difficulties actually show up in everyday life.

💰 Medicare rebates available with a GP referral.
📍 Book online

https://www.atahc.com.au/

05/05/2026

If you, or someone you love has hearing loss, Hear Here Australia is here.

ACE your hearing is a small group program that teaches practical communication strategies, helps with the emotional side of hearing loss, and includes your family or friends too.

Check out the link if you’d like to learn more 😁

04/05/2026

"I just ask people to repeat themselves a lot."

If that sounds familiar, you're in good company.

Most people live with hearing difficulties for years before doing anything about it, not because they don't care, but because it creeps up so gradually that it just becomes the new normal.

Turning up the TV a little louder. Nodding along in group conversations and hoping no one notices. Avoiding noisy restaurants because it's just too hard.

The thing is, none of that has to be permanent, or even normal.

A comprehensive hearing assessment at our Hutt Street clinic takes 60–90 minutes and gives you a clear picture of exactly where your hearing is at. No pressure, no sales pitch. Just answers.

💰 Medicare rebates available with a GP referral.
📍 Book online via our website

https://www.atahc.com.au/

16/04/2026

This article was sent to me by one of my patients. Some good points highlighting how to keep not just your ears, but your ear buds clean and healthy too 😁

Constantly having headphones on can make your ear canal hot and humid, upsetting the bacteria balance in your ear. Here’s what to look out for.

22/03/2026

This is feedback I received from a tinnitus patient last week.

Most people I see have:
• Been told nothing can be done
• Spent hours searching online
• Been offered only hearing aids, no strategies, no other options, no support.

While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, there are personalised strategies that can support how you manage and respond to your tinnitus.

Being able to do this work and see the difference it makes is incredibly rewarding 🙏

05/03/2026

What started as one day a week helping people with tinnitus and sound sensitivity has grown into something much bigger.

Adelaide Tinnitus Clinic has expanded and is now Adelaide Tinnitus & Hearing Care.

We’ve opened more appointments and expanded our services to include comprehensive hearing assessments, alongside our specialised care for tinnitus and sound sensitivity.

Our focus is on accurate assessment, helping you communicate better, and understanding or managing tinnitus / sound sensitivity.

As an independent clinic, our focus is on evidence-based clinical care rather than sales targets.

We take the time to understand your hearing challenges, not just your audiogram.

If you’ve been putting off having your hearing health or tinnitus assessed, we’re here to help.

https://www.adelaidetinnitusclinic.com.au/services1

01/03/2026

GPs & Allied Health Professionals
Your first words can change a tinnitus patient’s outcome.

Did you know the initial consultation for a tinnitus sufferer often dictates their long-term recovery?

Most people habituate naturally, but the wrong messaging can derail that process. When a patient hears, "There is no cure; you just have to live with it," the brain flags the sound as a permanent threat—increasing distress and persistence.

The better pathway:
1️⃣ Recommend a full hearing assessment (the most common link is hearing loss).
2️⃣ Rule out medical causes (including full blood panel)
3️⃣ Recommend physio to assess for musculoskeletal contributors
4️⃣ Refer to a tinnitus specialist if required

The "no cure" narrative changes the outcome. While there isn't a 'pill or surgery’ to switch the sound off instantly, there are proven clinical pathways to reduce the impact of tinnitus and help people reach a point where they no longer notice it.

The Adelaide Tinnitus Clinic provides free educational postcards for clinics to distribute to patients who inquire about tinnitus treatments. They are evidence-based, reassuring, and designed to give your patients immediate clarity.

📩 DM or email us to request your free clinic supply.

04/02/2026

It is Tinnitus Awareness Week: so we’re answering the most common questions I get asked in clinic.

Something I hear often in clinic is: “My tinnitus keeps me awake.”

But when we look more closely, many people were already struggling with sleep before their tinnitus started. The tinnitus becomes another focus during the night — not always the original cause of the insomnia.

Struggling with tinnitus and poor sleep can feel like a never-ending cycle:
poor sleep → louder tinnitus → more worry → even poorer sleep.

Research shows that up to 40% of people attending tinnitus clinics have a significant sleep problem. Importantly, tinnitus-related insomnia looks very similar to primary insomnia on sleep studies.

Why this matters: it means evidence-based insomnia treatments can help, even when tinnitus is part of the picture. Approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can:
• Improve sleep quality and sleep efficiency
• Reduce tinnitus-related distress
• Help break the cycle between poor sleep and tinnitus

Some other tips you can try yourself tonight:
• No phone screens at least one hour before bed
• Try to sleep in a cooler room (harder in an Adelaide summer I know)
• Do something relaxing before bed (stretching, reading)

The key takeaway:
There isn’t a “special” kind of tinnitus sleep problem. It behaves like other forms of insomnia — and that’s good news, because we already have proven tools to treat it.

We focus on tinnitus every week, not just Tinnitus Awareness week. If you’d like help understanding your own triggers and learning how to manage them, appointments are available, book online via our website.

https://www.adelaidetinnitusclinic.com.au/

03/02/2026

It is Tinnitus Awareness Week: so we’re answering the most common questions I get asked in clinic

Something I hear often in clinic is:
“I wake up with jaw pain and my tinnitus is screaming in the morning, is it related?.”

Many people think tinnitus is only related to the ears — but sometimes, tension in the jaw, head, neck, and shoulders can contribute.

Muscle imbalances can:
• Trigger or worsen tinnitus
• Amplify perception of existing tinnitus
• Interact with stress or posture-related issues

When these muscles are tight or overactive, they can influence how the auditory system signals the brain. This is why some people notice tinnitus changing with neck movement, jaw clenching, or posture.

The good news: addressing muscle tension through targeted physiotherapy, posture correction, massage, or relaxation strategies can be a useful part of a tinnitus management plan.

Key takeaway: Tinnitus is rarely caused by one factor alone. For some people, muscular factors play a role — and recognising them is the first step toward relief.

We focus on tinnitus every week, not just Tinnitus Awareness week. If you’d like help understanding your own triggers and learning how to manage them, appointments are available, book online via our website.

https://www.adelaidetinnitusclinic.com.au/

02/02/2026

Did you know that ‍20-30% of the Australian population either currently live with, or will experience Tinnitus in their lives?

If you have your own experience of Tinnitus, you'll know how debilitating the condition can be, and how little public knowledge there is about this condition.

That's why Deafness Forum Australia supports and promotes Tinnitus Awareness Week (Feb 3-8).

Tinnitus Awareness Week is about building greater community awareness and understanding of Tinnitus and raising the profile of this debilitating condition.