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What Does A Humming Noise In The Ear After Taking Allegra And Zyrtec Suggest?
Question: In 2012 and again this year 2015, beginning in around January each year my hearing began fluctuating in my right ear with a feeling of fullness. In 2012 an MRI of brain was done with and without contrast and was negative. Here 3 years later, same symptoms. Ears are clear. Primary doc says Eustacian tube dysfunction due to allergies. ENT, after hearing test says something is going on with the nerve. No other symptoms present. I have discovered that taking 800MG of Ibuprofin, a Zyrtec an Allegra and using Nasacort (all 2X a day) about 10-12 hours apart has an effect... in combination with humming. Yes, humming. So I take all the meds and after about one hour, I hum for about 6 seconds. This causes a loud constant tone in my right ear but also reduces the feeling of fullness and improves my hearing substantially. Even with the loud tone, I can hear much better. After a couple of hours, the tone dissipates and I feel great for several hours until it's time to do the process again. My new ENT wants another MRI... primary says not needed. Do you have an opinion on 1. doing another MRI and 2. any idea what the heck is going on?
Brief Answer:
Doing MRI is justified, symptoms might be due to pressure on auditory nerve
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
Please find my observations below.
1. Since your symptoms are related to hearing issues, therefore your new ENT doctor is investigating for causes in the head that might be causing the humming, loud constant tone as described.
2. The auditory path includes the nerves of hearing and these originate from nuclei in the brain and then traverse a path to the ear.
3. Though your symptoms appear benign, it is important to look for any slowly growing tumor in the path of the auditory nerve which might be causing pressure and leading to symptoms.
4. One such benign tumor is acoustic schwannoma and it is seen in approximately 1 in 50000 people. This is indeed a rare occurrence but since you are having the symptoms it is better to get investigated.
5. Since this tumor is a slow growing one and the last MRI was in 2012 therefore doing another MRI brain is suggested to confirm the absence of such slow growing tumors.
Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
Doing MRI is justified, symptoms might be due to pressure on auditory nerve
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
Please find my observations below.
1. Since your symptoms are related to hearing issues, therefore your new ENT doctor is investigating for causes in the head that might be causing the humming, loud constant tone as described.
2. The auditory path includes the nerves of hearing and these originate from nuclei in the brain and then traverse a path to the ear.
3. Though your symptoms appear benign, it is important to look for any slowly growing tumor in the path of the auditory nerve which might be causing pressure and leading to symptoms.
4. One such benign tumor is acoustic schwannoma and it is seen in approximately 1 in 50000 people. This is indeed a rare occurrence but since you are having the symptoms it is better to get investigated.
5. Since this tumor is a slow growing one and the last MRI was in 2012 therefore doing another MRI brain is suggested to confirm the absence of such slow growing tumors.
Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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