A tumor on the hearing nerve

There are several types of tumors that grow on the auditory, vestibular or facial nerves. Although they are very rare, these tumors may cause tinnitus. When heaviness is felt in the ear area, you must see your audiologist or otolaryngologist for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible. These tumors may cause the hearing, vestibular and/or facial dysfunction. Other complications that these tumors may cause include:

• Deafness
• Loss of balance
• Facial paralysis
• Tinnitus

Most tumors emanating from the temporal bone directly affects the internal auditory canal and may prolepses into the auditory nerve endings. When the nerve endings get affected, they can hardly transmit stimuli to the brain; the brain therefore interprets any stimuli, whether internal or external as sound.

Ear tumors are very diverse and can be called by different names:

• Middle ear schwannoma
• Neurinoma
• Glomus tumor
• Paraganglioma
• Glomus jugulare
• Chemodectoma
• Ceruminoma
• Papillary middle ear tumor
• Endolymphatic sac adenoma
• Papillary middle ear tumor
• Parcinoid tumor
• Glandular tumor of the external auditory canal
• Vascular malformation

All these are various types of tumors that may directly or indirectly affect the auditory nerve, producing either hearing loss, tinnitus or both. Ear tumors may be surgically removed by an audiologist or an otolaryngologist.

Other causes of tinnitus include:

• What causes Tinnitus?
• Loud noises
• Damage to the cochlea
• Ear wax build up or improper removal
• Certain medication
• Ear infections and or sinus inflammation
• Old age or otosclerosis
• Meniere's disease
• Allergic reactions
• Stress and blood pressure
• Abnormality of the Eustachian tube
• Other factors and conditions that may cause tinnitus

Related topics

1. Vertigo
2. Hypercusis
3. Recruitment
4. Meniere's disease
5. Tips to lessen the severity of tinnitus