Tinnitus, Hearing Loss & Autoimmune Disease?

Hi,

I just found this site and hope someone can share or help. I have had tinnitus for a few years, 2 years ago I had a hearing test and right ear was worse than the left so the ENT ordered an MRI which I never did. Now, 2 years later, tinnitus is so much worse, I get headaches a lot and it almost makes me feel sick sometimes. After another test, hearing in both ears has decreased more than what is usual for my age (41) unless I am exposed to loud noise daily which I am not. It has decreased evenly now though so he no longer thinks a tumour is possible. They seem to think it could be autoimmune related, my blood work came back ANA positive, but nothing else.

Now I HAVE to go for the MRI he says but I am very nervous and worried about side effects of the contrast. I am not sure what he is looking for since Lupus can not be seen on the MRI from what I understand. Has anyone else had tinnitus and hearing loss as the first sign of an autoimmune disorder?

Additionally I have had some numbess and random other symptoms too but nothing major just annoying. I didn't even realize my hearing had decreased so it was quite a surprise. I just know lots of noise - my kids all talking at once, tv on etc was really bothersome!!

Thank you for any responses! Or reassurance the MRI w/ contrast is a good next step.

 

4% of MS patients develop tinnitus. Tinnitus in these cases develop prior to the main symptoms of MS.

Autoimmune disease of the inner ear is rare. There is a famous case, however, and which involved the use of stem cells to reverse the condition: Chloe Sohl...

RNL BIO Rescues a College Student from...

 

Interesting. I guess I should get the MRI done then. Once he discovered he had MS, was there anything that helped the tinnitus?

 

Am panicking i dnt knw what to do,. Almost callpsed today i think i just had mine, it absolutely breaks my heart knowing there is no cure,. It all started this mornin,. I live in Tanzania, am on my way to see a doctors, but i think i have it, its on my right ear, but i also feel mild neck problem on right back side, people are going to think am crazy i have been crying all along but my ear also feels heavy some one please tell me ill overcome this,.

 

Your tinnitus started this morning? And you think you have MS? I am not quite sure I understand. I have had tinnitus off and on for years, (mostly on) in both ears that I can't ignore. It gets louder, chirps, subsides then gets so loud I even ask my family if they can hear it thinking our fridge started humming or something which is not the case ever.

 

Whrn i was writting this i was panicking, am on week 3, there was only one day, that i woke up without a ringing and i spend the whole day noise free, am sorry am posting it here, if guys knew how hard to get help here, no one seems to understand, after a day of silence the next it woke up me in the middle of the night the ringing has become very high pitched at low volume, up to now am not even close to know the cause,. But am taking day by day as a challenge,. For two weeks i just stayed at home tryin to come to term with condition anxiety is a bitch, i come to realize that, i think we all need to change our mentality towards this condition, and start working on the cases that have positive results, let us look on cases that people have managed to successful improve their status,,
How unlucky of all the conditions in Tanzania, i choose to pick this one, its so hard to get help here,. Anyway goodluck to everyone, Godbless you, ameen

 

How do you tell if you have auto immune tinnitus?