People who suffer with tinnitus tend to experience loneliness and isolation, the British Tinnitus Association has said.

The Tinnitus and Hearing Information Show (THIS) will reinforce the British TInnitus Association (BTA) message at their event on Saturday at Glasgow's Grand Central Hotel.

Around one in five adults and many children experience tinnitus and impaired hearing in Britain.

Most people with tinnitus will have damage to their auditory system without any obvious hearing defects, as it is a gradual process and effects can have an impact long before they become apparent.

Even an untreated mild hearing impairment adds to the risk of cognitive decline, dementia and tinnitus.

According to the BTA, a hearing test should be viewed as a proactive health check which offers the opportunity for early intervention.

Tinnitus Week, which runs from February 4 to 10, aims to raise awareness of the condition, which can be very common.

Most people with tinnitus find it a mild irritant, however a significant minority experience severe anxiety, depression and sleeplessness, which may leave sufferers feeling a sense of helplessness.

THIS 2019 brings together an expert panel of researchers and practitioners to showcase best practice treatments, innovative new technologies, and importantly sources of immediate help.

Alan Hopkirk, Clinical Director of The Invisible Hearing Clinic, who has organised the show for the third year says:"Information and understanding are key.

"The knowledge that there is help available and more importantly how to access it is so important to those suffering from tinnitus or hearing impairment.

"THIS 2019 aims to deliver exactly that."