Vic Reeves and Nancy Sorrell dance together in Dover
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Appearing on BBC series Walking With…, the star explores a fascinating corner of the Kent coast. However, taking in the sights and sounds of the coast and countryside is somewhat hindered by Vic’s hearing impairment, which developed after doctors found a tumour growing on his brain.
The 62-year-old has spoken out about the condition in the past, as well as embracing the deafness that it has left him with.
Opening up about his diagnosis on The Adam Buxton Podcast he said: “I’ve got a vestibular schwannoma – it’s a tumour in my head.
“I’ve gone completely deaf, 100 percent deaf, in the left ear, and it will never come back. It’s dead – absolutely completely gone.”
Fortunately for the star the tumour is not cancerous, and has received a plethora of advice on how to cope with the grape-sized tumour.
He added: “It’s benign. They can’t remove it – they can shrink it or they can leave it and keep an eye on it, and that’s what they’re doing.”
Talking on Good Morning Britain ahead of his episode of Walking With…, which airs December 16, Vic mentioned his love of bird watching.
However, his bird watching hobby is made increasingly difficult due to his inability to hear what directions the creatures are in.
“Because I like going out bird watching I never know where the birds are because I can hear them, but I don’t know what direction they’re in,” Vic revealed.
“If an aeroplane flies over or a car approaches, I don’t know where it is.”
The NHS explains that a vestibular schwannoma, also known as an acoustic neuroma is a benign growth that develops slowly over many years.
The tumours usually grow on the nerve that is used for hearing and balance, leading to problems with hearing loss and unsteadiness.
These types of tumours tend to affect adults aged 30 to 60 and usually have no obvious cause, however, Professor Hanemann, who leads the Brain Tumour Research Centre at University of Plymouth, said: “This tumour arises from mutations in the NF 2 gene and Vic would be more likely to have this diagnosis at his age than a younger man.
“It isn’t just a male disease with women affected equally. Issues with balance and hearing are common symptoms.”
In addition to hearing loss, individuals can experience other symptoms including the following:
Persistent headaches
- Temporary blurred or double vision
- Numbness, pain or weakness on one side of the face
- Problems with limb coordination on one side of the body
- A hoarse voice or difficulty swallowing.
In addition, unfortunately for Vic, even with treatment, symptoms such as hearing loss and tinnitus can persist, affecting individuals to work, communicate and drive.
Cleveland Clinic audiologist Sarah Sydlowski explained that due to the way sound waves travel, high-frequency sounds don’t “bend” around the side of the functional ear, meaning the individual can never hear them.
This means that individuals who are deaf in one year struggle to hear high-frequency sounds such as “s” or “f” words.
Depending on the size, position and how fast the tumour is growing, treatment options differ. The main treatment options involve monitoring the tumour, brain surgery and stereotactic radiosurgery.
Treatment for large tumours are even more important as they can sometimes cause a life-threatening build-up of fluid in the brain.
In addition, unfortunately for Vic, even with treatment symptoms such as hearing loss and tinnitus can persist, affecting individuals to work, communicate and drive.
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