The course of MS is unpredictable and can cause a variety of symptoms in different people. It may cause hearing problems and other symptoms that have to do with the function of the inner ear, such as hearing loss, tinnitus, balance problems, and a muffled or full feeling in the ear.
Hearing problems aren't a common MS symptom. But people with MS can sometimes experience problems including tinnitus, increased sensitivity to sound and loss of hearing. There are other possible causes of hearing problems which are more common than MS.
Ear pressure can occur due to sinus congestion, infections, or TMJ damage, among other conditions. It can also occur as a result of situational factors, such as changes in altitude or having a foreign body stuck inside the ear. Some causes of ear pressure are treatable using OTC medications and home remedies.
Ménière's disease is a rare disorder that affects the inner ear. It can cause vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, and a feeling of pressure deep inside the ear.
Note that the development of tinnitus, as well as any sudden change in hearing or in the inner ear, may indicate an MS flare. If you're experiencing these types of symptoms for the first time, contact your neurologist. Your health care team can help you manage these and other symptoms of a flare.
A family history of autoimmune diseases is significant as this may raise concern for vasculitis, such as Takayasu disease, which may manifest as pulsatile tinnitus. Some examples include uncontrolled hypertension, which may suggest fibromuscular dysplasia.
What is AIED? Autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED) is an inflammatory condition of the inner ear. It occurs when the body's immune system attacks cells in the inner ear that are mistaken for a virus or bacteria. AIED is a rare disease occurring in less than one percent of the 28 million Americans with a hearing loss.
Geniculate neuralgia is a condition that is caused by a small nerve (the nervus intermedius) being compressed by a blood vessel. Geniculate neuralgia results in severe, deep ear pain which is usually sharp—often described as an "ice pick in the ear"—but may also be dull and burning.
If you ever experience the following ear symptoms, it's important to see an Ear, Nose, and Throat physician: Your ear discomfort comes with other symptoms such as dizziness, fever, bleeding from the ear, or severe pain. Your ear pain and pressure get worse despite treatments you try at home.
Feeling fatigued is one of the most common and troublesome symptoms of MS. It's often described as an overwhelming sense of exhaustion that means it can be a struggle to carry out even the simplest activities.
A pinched or compressed nerve can trigger numbness, tingling or other sensations at the end of the nerve, which might be in the fingers or in the ear. Except in the more severe cases of abnormality or injury, it's very likely that removal of the pressure will also remove the troublesome symptom.
MRI scans use a magnetic field and radio waves to create computerized, three-dimensional images of the ear and the nerve that carries signals from the inner ear to the brain. An MRI scan may reveal a buildup of fluid or inflammation in the inner ear or a growth on the nerve.
Cochlear hydrops: affects balance of the inner ear. Meniere's disease: disorder of the inner ear. Superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome (SSCD): thinning or absent temporal bone of the inner ear. Vestibular neuronitis: inflammation of the inner ear.
It can cause weakness in your face muscles, headaches, difficulties with your vision and hearing, memory loss, hallucinations, and mood changes. We usually treat the condition with steroids and other medications to treat inflammation.
Some autosomal dominant syndromes associated with hearing loss include Waardenburg syndrome, Treacher Collins syndrome, Stickler syndrome, branchio-oto-renal syndrome (Melnick-Fraser syndrome), neurofibromatosis type 2, osteogenesis imperfecta, and otosclerosis.
To diagnose AIED, your doctor will ask questions about your health and medical history, do a physical exam, and give you a hearing test. They'll also test your balance, which can show how well your inner ear is "talking" to your brain. You might also have blood work done.
Many symptoms of MS may affect the ear, nose and throat. They include hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo and disequilibrium, facial palsy, dysphonia, dysphagia, sialorrhea, trigeminal neuralgia and neuropathy, sleep disorder and taste and smell alterations.
With lupus, hearing loss often begins in one ear, affecting high-pitched sounds, before spreading to the other ear and affecting lower pitches, known as reverse-slope hearing loss. It can also cause tinnitus (ringing in the ears), dizziness or aural fullness.
Pulsatile tinnitus can be a symptom of a dangerous problem with the blood vessels in the head, but not always. Sometimes, pulsatile tinnitus can signal a more serious impending health problem, like a stroke or blindness. Therefore, pulsatile tinnitus should prompt you to see a doctor to further assist you.