Help with hearing loss (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Help with hearing loss

8:23am Monday 13th February 2012 in Readers' letters By Telegraph & Argus

SIR – Recent accounts in the national press have highlighted the plight of people with Sudden Neurosensory Hearing Loss. To lose your hearing suddenly and totally is unimaginably frightening and life-changing and existing services fall far short of what is needed.

Eighty-five per cent of cases of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHI), which includes SNHL, have no known cause, a terrible reflection on the lack of investment in hearing research.

Despite this, it is vital that any of your readers experiencing a sudden loss of hearing seeks specialist help immediately because, even where the cause is not known, there are treatments that are effective for some people and the earlier they are tried the better the chances of success.

Sadly, many people find that their hearing does not return and, in these cases, practical help and support is vital. It does exist.

Deafness Research UK is one charity to which people can turn for advice and information on this as well as other hearing problems, and we refer people to other organisations that can assist in other ways.

Advice is available direct from our website at deafnessresearch.org.uk, by e-mailing info@deafnessresearch.org.uk, or by calling our freephone helpline on 0808 8082222.

Vivienne Michael, chief executive, Deafness Research UK