Is My Tinnitus Caused by Cancer? Retracted Eardrum

Hi.

I've been browsing Tinnitus Talk for a few weeks now.
I'm 30 and normally quite healthy.

I got ringing tinnitus around 6 weeks ago. It's in my left ear and very occasionally I hear it in my right ear (very low). I assumed it was from my baby's high pitch squeal as my ears always used to ring when she squealed.

I called the doctor two weeks ago and she said it may be allergies and gave me steroid nasal spray. I also used Earol to make sure there was no wax problem..

Today I called back up because that was making no difference and she asked me to come down to have a look in my ears.

She said both eardrums are retracted and have fluid behind the ear drum. She said this was worse in my left (where I hear the ringing). She said to take Sudafed spray for 2 weeks and if it's not better she needs to refer me for a head scan because it could be cancer.

I am a nervous wreck. I'm so upset. Never did I think it could be cancer. Has anyone had this experience before?

 

Yes, it's pretty common to ask for a head MRI when you have unilateral tinnitus/hearing loss that you can't attribute to anything (acoustic trauma, etc). This is done to rule out an Acoustic Neuroma, which is a benign tumor (that's what I think you refer to as "cancer"). The odds of having an AN are very small, so it's mostly for peace of mind.

 

Best wishes to you. Just note that from the posts I've read about MRI is VERY loud. Take precautionary measures like ear plugs or something to protect your ears. You don't want your tinnitus to get worse from a being in a loud MRI environment. If it's a CT scan, then it should be fine since they're not that loud.

 

Thank you for your reply.

The doctor said 'malignant' and I asked her what what meant exactly and she just replied 'cancer' and that was kind of the end of the appointment.

 

Please, try to calm down. Tinnitus has a lot of other, and more likely causes than cancer. I'm not saying that it's yours' cause, because most of us have never found one, but the fluid in your ears and the retracted eardrums could be the culprit. There is a really slim chance that it's tumor.

Did you visit an ENT or a GP?

(I don't think it was a very responsible choice for your doctor to scare you this much without offering a more thorough explanation on tinnitus.)

 

Thank you for your reassuring answer.

I visited my local GP. I only went down because I wanted to check it wasn't wax. I was kind of prepared for the ' tinnitus can't be cured and to just learn to live with it discussion' . As much as I didn't want to hear that I have to live with it I thought that would be the case. I was so shocked when she just said 'could be cancer'. She didn't talk about any other problems that could cause it.

I also feel she was wrong to say cancer. She didn't check anywhere else apart from looking in my ears. I wouldn't say I have any other symptoms. No pain, no discharge etc. It's just scared the life out of me.

 

Your doctor seems to be a bit unorthodox in bringing up "malignant" and "cancer" terminology after a look at your ear drums.

 

I bet your tinnitus is caused by fluid in your ears. Be patient, it takes a lot of time to drain it out. I struggle with the same. Opening eustachian tubes etc. is a lengthy process. Stay positive and don’t get stressed.

 

That's very strange. ENTs usually order an MRI as a standard procedure to rule out an acoustic neuroma (and this can be removed, and it is not that common). It's just a standard protocol and in principle the chances of having an acoustic neuroma are slim.

 

If you have retracted ear drums and fluid, then all you need to do is clear the eustachian tubes and drain the liquid, hopefully before it becomes an infection (stay away from sick people). Not sure why you would need an MRI since it is pretty obvious what is causing your tinnitus. It can take a while to clear though.

 

@Louise9877 just wondering if you had your check up yet and if it was fluid in the ears. I have had tinnitus in my left ear for around 6 weeks and I’m terrified to see the GP. I’ve been using ear drops and Sudafed in case it was earwax but it’s not done anything. :-(

 

Hi. Yes I saw my GP Friday.
She said having cancer was as likey as her winning the lottery.
She checked my ears and I still have a retracted ear drum and fluid behind my ears. Particularly the left.
I wouldn't suggest using sudafed for more then a week because it can make congestion worse and Usually has side effects when you stop the spray. She told me to continue on with Beconase nasal spray ( you can get this in the pharmacy) and to take antihistamines every day then to go see her agian in two weeks to see if it's changed.
ENT at hospital are not really seeing anyone due to covid. We're not 100% sure it's caused by the eardrum but I'm hoping it is and that it will eventually go. I guess I will see how the ringing is once the ear drum is back to normal... If that ever happens.


Please go and see your gp. You already have the ringing and seeing them won't make it any worse. It might make it better and they might be able to treat it. It will at least put your mind to rest about what it is.

 

@Ggina I would suggest you be careful and take the correct dosage of your medications, Sudafed and ear drops. Surprisingly a lot of meds have "rare" tinnitus side effect or hearing issues when taken in large dosage. Always consult with your doctor or look at the side effects carefully.

 

@Louise9877 thank you for sharing this. It’s so scary and I have no idea why this is happening I will panic if they can’t see anything with my ears. I have an appointment for a hearing test booked this week and I was going to call the clinic that does microsuction for her to clear any wax. I had an issue with a blocked ear in May but that was the one that’s not causing an issue and the one that has tinnitus is not feeling blocked.

 

Hello, I realise this is an old thread but im hoping the original poster might see this message.

Did your tinnitus resolve, @Louise9877? I currently have the same issue with my eardrums and fluid. I saw the GP 2 weeks ago and have been using the nasal spray and Sudafed but no discernible change yet, tinnitus still there.

Did your eardrums return to normal? If so, did it stop the tinnitus?

Thank you,
Zain

 

Hi Zain,

My eardrums eventually cleared up but my tinnitus hasn't.

It took a while for my eardrums to clear. The doctor kept checking and at around 3 months I was sent to an audiologist and my fluid had gone. Must have cleared the week before I had my appointment as my doctor checked the week before.

I had an MRI which found nothing wrong. I also has a CT scan on my sinuses to see if they were inflamed, which came back negative. They have found nothing which could be causing it. My specialist basically said I will just just have to get used to it and learn to acclimatise. Which to be honest I have. Its always there but I don't hear it unless I focus on it or it's silent. It's rubbish but it does honestly get better.

Hopefully yours will go. Has it got any better since posting?

 

Hi @Louise9877,

Thanks for your reply, I'm sorry to hear your tinnitus hasn't gone. Was there any change to it once your eardrums healed?

Mine has gotten worse in the 2 weeks since I saw my GP. I thought after the first few days of nasal spray it seemed to get better, but there a more solid tone has appeared behind all the static I hear.

I guess I will wait and see what happens, I have a phone call with my GP next week, will ask for a referral to the ENT.

Thanks for your response, not the news I was hoping for but am glad you are coping with it well.