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Meet Zoe Sampson, Audiologist and Tinnitus Specialist

Hearing and Audiology specialist Zoe Sampson has years of experience in assessing, diagnosing, and treating tinnitus.

Zoe trained with internationally recognised tinnitus expert and originator of Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, Dr Pawel Jastreboff. She also trained in the use of neuromonics, a dedicated tinnitus treatment developed in Australia that boasts a high success rate.

Zoe has worked with tinnitus clients for her entire professional career while also participating in the first tinnitus treatment training held in Australia. She constantly updates her skills and knowledge as new research outcomes in tinnitus and its treatments become available. She is passionate about helping people who are experiencing or suffering from tinnitus, knowing that the majority of conditions can be treated with appropriate care.

For more information about how a tinnitus specialist like Zoe Sampson can help you, visit Hearing and Audiology’s tinnitus assessment page.

If you want to learn more about tinnitus, check out our resources:

1. What is Tinnitus and How to Avoid It?

2. How Much Does Tinnitus Treatment Cost In Perth?

3. Effective Methods to Manage Tinnitus

4. Best Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Apps For Your Ears

Book An Appointment

For more information about our hearing healthcare services, please call (08) 9388 8003 or book online using the form below. We conduct the tests at our Perth based clinics, located in Subiaco and Duncraig, as well as at our Geraldton clinic.

Tinnitus Specialists in Perth and Geraldton

If you’ve noticed that you keep hearing a ringing or buzzing sound that others around you don’t, you’re not alone. Tinnitus is a common condition that affects two out of three Australians in their lifetime – and can pose a serious obstacle to every day life.

The majority of cases of Tinnitus are not caused by an underlying medical issue and can be treated to reduce or completely eliminate the constant, irritating sounds to get you a higher quality of life once more.

This is achieved by treatment from a licensed and certified tinnitus specialist like those at Hearing and Audiology. Our experts are specially trained to help clients who are suffering from tinnitus get relief with some of the most cutting edge treatment options available in Western Australia.

If your life has been impacted by a Tinnitus diagnosis, there is hope. Don’t suffer in silence, reach out to the Hearing & Audiology team on (08) 9388 8003 today to start your healing journey.

Deciding to seek treatment for tinnitus

Many sufferers put off treatment because they don’t think there will be anything that can help them. After all, no one else hears the ringing, chirping, or disquieting sounds that you do, right? However, there’s no reason for you to remain afflicted with tinnitus for two main reasons:

Most cases are fully treatable with the right techniques and devices
Some cases reflect an underlying health condition that should not be ignored

If your experience with tinnitus is new, it’s possible that it could fade or resolve on its own over time. However, if the tinnitus persists, worsens, or is only in one ear, it is recommended that you seek treatment.

What causes tinnitus in the first place?

As we mentioned, many cases are fully treatable because their root causes are what really need to be addressed. By doing a comprehensive exam and health assessment, a tinnitus specialist can determine the severity of your condition as well as the underlying causes. In some cases, you may be referred to a general practitioner or healthcare specialist for additional treatment, which will not only address your tinnitus but also critical health conditions.

While you may think tinnitus is only caused by exposure to loud sounds (e.g. construction workers), there are many common causes of tinnitus as listed below. If you have experienced any of these, you may want to speak to an audiologist or healthcare provider.

Exposure to extremely loud noises, persistent or sudden
Loss of hearing due to injury or aging
Infection of the ear, noses, and/or throat regions
High blood pressure from medical or emotional causes
Diabetes, allergies, hypothyroidism, and other health conditions
Physical injury to the head or neck

Approaches to tinnitus treatment

One of the reasons why tinnitus tends to be treatable is that there are multiple different approaches available. If your condition is caused by another health problem, seeing a medical provider and having that issue resolved can, in many cases, also take care of the tinnitus. For the rest of the instances where tinnitus occurs, a number of treatment options are available through Hearing and Audiology here in Western Australia.

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: Readjust the sensory reaction to tinnitus
Neuromonics: Relax neural pathways to reduce tinnitus occurrence
Sound Generators: Counteract tinnitus with sound frequency devices
Hearing Aids: Deliver better sound to combat perception of tinnitus

Each approach involves its own regimen with results experienced within, on average, 12-24 months. However, depending on the severity of your condition, you could experience relief much sooner and will likely notice a change within the first two months of treatment.

What to expect from your tinnitus specialist

While every client and patient experience is different, a tinnitus specialist will start with a full diagnostic assessment. This helps them determine, or begin to isolate, the root cause of your condition. In some cases, the solution is more straightforward, such as excessive ear wax or a middle ear infection that can be referred to a medical provider for treatment and resolution.

For other situations, the audiologist may conduct a hearing test to rule out hearing loss as a contributing factor. A hearing aid or Lyric device can help change how the sounds produced from tinnitus are perceived, if at all, giving patients quick relief.

A specialist may also ask you to give a detailed description of the type of sounds you are hearing. Tinnitus can take more forms than just an incessant ringing of the ears. Other sounds can include clicking, rushing, humming, and thumping as well as a range from high to low pitch noises. Understanding what and how you hear can help the audiologist get to the root cause even faster.

Be sure to share any medications that you are currently taking with your audiologist. Some, like blood pressure medication, can affect blood vessels which can change the sounds perceived deep within the ear. If this is the case, the audiologist will refer you back to your general practitioner to discuss your options.

Once medical and medication issues are ruled out, your audiologist may recommend one of the available courses of treatment, such as neuromonics, for your tinnitus. These can be, but are not always, covered by health insurance, so be sure to talk to your provider before setting an expectation of expense.

Book An Appointment

For more information about our hearing healthcare services, please call (08) 9388 8003 or book online using the form below. We conduct hearing tests at our Perth based clinics, located in Subiaco, Manning and Duncraig, as well as at our Geraldton clinic.