AboutDina Q Goldin, Ph.D. Expertise Information and advice for Acoustic Neuroma patients who would like honest patient-to-patient interaction about their symptoms or about treatments and related medical procedures. If you are unsure if your experience is "normal", or are wondering whether your information is complete, feel free to ask.
Experience I am an Acoustic Neuroma patient and the founding editor
of the Acoustic Neuroma Patient Archive (http://www.ANarchive.org).
Today I was diagnosed by an ENT with SHL. My unilateral loss happened two weeks ago on a Wednesday with the onset of a head cold followed by Tinnitus on Sunday (which is now persistent). My audiogram showed a hill sloping downward towards the right.
Along with this head cold on Wednesday, I believe I had conjunctivitis which cleared by Saturday. I also had several infections on my foot caused by a blister and fire ant bites. Those cleared in several days (it was a bad week). I also developed tight muscles in my neck that my chiropractor was able to resolve in less than 24 hours. I remember receiving three cycles of meningitis vaccine 10 years ago.
I have been in a monogamous relationship for the past 2.75 years and tested negative for every STD I could be tested for when we began dating.
My primary care physician prescribed Amoxicillin for the foot, ear, and eye issues. I stopped that prescription today(on the advice of the ENT) and I am now on prednisone with high hopes for recovery of my SHL.
My questions. Is AN a likely possibility and is delaying an MRI 2 weeks on my ENTs suggestion a waste of valuable time?
Thank you for your service. Something like this makes me believe that that the Hippocratic oath is not amended completely by my health care policy. My fiancée is has her masters in health care administration. With her guidance, I finally believe that I am the best advocate for my health.
Answer Your ENT was right to put you on prednisone, this is the best way to treat SHL. It would have been better to do it as soon as you developed SHL; SHLs have to be treated right away, and the 2-week delay might make a difference in your ability to recover.
By contrast, ANs themselves do not have to be treated right away, since they are benign and grow very slowly. So there is no need for an immediate MRI to diagnose one, if other diagnoses can be explored first; MRIs are expensive. That said, if you wish to have an MRI but your ENT thinks it's not necessary, there is a compromise -- something known as BSER or ABER. It's a simple painless test that will indicate the presence of a tumor (but not its size or location). If present, then an MRI is definitely warranted.
Given all the other problems you were experiencing at the time, AN is not very likely. However, given the one-sided nature of the hearing loss, it is certainly something to keep in mind -- in case you do not recover from the SHL, or if you do, but still have partial one-sided hearing loss and tinnitus.
