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Sudden hearing loss can be a medical emergency. Help us respond, before it’s too late.
When hearing suddenly changes, people need help right away. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Now.
I didn’t know it was a medical emergency – until it was too late.
A race against time
Caroline shares how losing her hearing changed her life, and the moment she realised it might have been prevented.
When my hearing changed, I was initially told by a doctor that it was likely just wax or an infection – in many cases it is as simple as this – but sadly, this wasn’t my story.
Have you ever looked back and wished you’d known something sooner? Something that could have changed everything?
If someone had said this could be urgent, there’s a real chance my hearing might have been saved, and I’d have been saved from the months of heartache that followed.
What happened to me could happen to anyone. And with the right information at the right time, someone else’s story could end very differently. That’s why the RNID helpline matters so much.
Will you give today to help someone else get the right information in time, before they lose their hearing for good?
The silent emergency
Not long after I noticed something wasn’t quite right with my hearing, I was told something that changed everything: My hearing loss was permanent.
I nearly passed out with shock.
What no one told me was that sudden hearing loss can be a medical emergency. No one told me that urgent treatment can increase the chance of recovering your hearing.
If only I had known about the RNID helpline, I might still have my hearing today.
My new normal: Learning to live with hearing loss
The shock came first. Then anger. Then grief.
Almost overnight, everything felt different. I struggled to follow conversations. I avoided social situations. It’s been hard to process that there was a chance my hearing could have been saved.
Can you imagine what that feels like? To realise there had been a chance – and it was gone.
The RNID helpline is there for exactly that moment. I only wish I’d known.
I can’t change what happened to me. But together, we can change what happens next for someone else.
A lifeline, when you don’t know where to turn
When your hearing changes, it can be confusing and frightening. You don’t know what’s happening, or what to do.
Your support will mean the RNID helpline can keep being there for people to give them the right support in time.
This is why the RNID helpline matters so much.
Help people like Caroline get the urgent hearing support they need when they need it most.
Helping people find clarity, support and next steps
Contact RNID coordinators provide support to people who are experiencing hearing changes, to understand what steps they can take and where to go next, whether that’s treatment, hearing aids, understanding rights, or finding urgent medical help.
It’s free. Confidential. And available right now.
The RNID helpline already supports more than 300 people every week in those moments of fear and uncertainty.
Your gift today could help make sure more people get the information they need in time to act.
Here’s how your gift could make a difference:
£20
could help cover the cost of a phone call from someone who needs support
£30
could help fund British Sign Language interpretation so deaf people can access support without barriers
£50
could help ensure the Contact RNID team are there during peak demand – when treatment windows are closing
£100
could make sure all our helpline services keep running now and into the future – to provide life-changing support to people experiencing sudden hearing loss
Hearing loss can strike suddenly.
When it does, people need help right away. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Now.
What to do
If you or someone you love experiences sudden hearing loss, contact NHS 111 or get an urgent GP appointment.
Go to A&E if you can’s see your GP or contact NHS 111.
