Acoustic neuroma?

[DerbyPaul]

I've had suspected labyrinthitis for nearly six weeks now. The symptoms have been pretty mild all the way along and at this point the dizziness has all but disappeared - yet the hearing in my right ear is still fairly muffled and I have mild tinnitus pretty much constantly now.

My doctor has referred me to an ENT specialist and said they would probably do a scan for Menieres and something called an acoustic neuroma, which I'd never heard of. Since looking it up, I have become concerned this is what I might have and I feel a bit worried.

I just wondered whether it was more likely I was just having a slow recovery period from labyrinthitis or could it indeed be an acoustic neuroma? Any idea?

[DerbyPaul]

Thanks both for your advice. I am booked in for June 13 so hopefully I should get some answers again. Of course I mainly hope it will have disappeared by then!

[Nancy T]

Just a clarification--unless something has changed, the "gold standard" to rule out an acoustic neuroma (that is, the best test to do and the one you should make sure you get) is an MRI--WITH gadolinium contrast. This is the most sensitive test for an acoustic neuroma, I believe. Not a CT scan, though they might do that for other reasons.

[Chana Lerner, AuD]

The CT scan or MRI that your doctor orders will provide accurate results if an acoustic neuroma is present. I'm glad to hear you are following up with your ENT. Good Luck!

[DerbyPaul]

Thanks for taking the time to comment Nancy. I'm glad the stats are in my favour and hopefully the tests will come back negative and this is just something odd that resolves itself over time.

And if the worst cass scenario happens and I do have an AN, it would seem it's very treatable so I would just have to step up to the plate and deal with it. Thanks.

[Nancy T]

While you wait for the expert to answer your question, let me just say, as one who had hearing loss, tinnitus, and dizziness, that acoustic neuromas are RARE and they are just being very thorough with an MRI scan, so please don't worry. You have to get the scan, but there's only a tiny chance a person with these symptoms has an AN.