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What Causes Constant Ear Pressure, Loss Of Hearing Ans Headaches?
Posted on
Tue, 17 Mar 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Tue, 17 Mar 2015
Answered on
Tue, 7 Apr 2015
Last reviewed on
Question : I am a 32 year old female. I have been experiencing ear pressure for a month and a half and loss of hearing as a result. My symptoms began with a cold, and the cold disappeared after a few days, but the ear pressure and hearing loss continued. I had an MRI today to test for an acoustic neuroma. Other symptoms include headaches. However, I am student teaching at the moment, under a great deal of stress, not getting much sleep and recently doubled my adderall perscription from 20 to 40 milligrams per day. I was told that I will have to wait a couple days for the results of the MRI, but my anxiety is unbearable. I also have a one year old daughter and believe much of the symptoms can be explained by stress, but would like a professional opinion while I wait on the results.
And, how long does this "process" typically take?
And, how long does this "process" typically take?
Brief Answer:
Acoustic neuroma is less likely but MRI scan required in hearing loss
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
Your anxiety and concern is understandable. I have had many patient who come to me for MRI scan brain with the suspicion of acoustic neuroma in the brain. However most patients do not have acoustic neuroma but it is important to do this investigation to rule out this condition.
By "process" I understand the time taken to give a MRI report and this depends on the workflow at your scan center, a couple of days wait is acceptable. Please correct me if I have got your concept of the process wrong.
Acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor that grows along the nerve connecting the brain to the ear and its commonest location is in the cerebellopontine angle. The MRI scan helps to confirm is such a tumor is present or not. These tumors cause pressure on the nerve carrying auditory impulse from ear to the brain and this leads to hearing problems.
I too believe and hope that your symptoms are nothing more than due to stress and physical exertion, for which your aderall has also been doubled. The brain is a complex structure and it is always better to get evaluated on lines of the symptoms that you have. The MRI scan is just to make sure that there is no such pressure due to a benign tumor pressing on the nerve.
This tumor has an incidence rate of 11 in million people. Therefore please do not worry and lets hope for the best. I am an expert in MRI scans and once you get your results, we can discuss any findings in the scan. Please be assured that with symptoms for a month and half and with a lot of stress at work, possibility of a physical disease is less.
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
Acoustic neuroma is less likely but MRI scan required in hearing loss
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
Your anxiety and concern is understandable. I have had many patient who come to me for MRI scan brain with the suspicion of acoustic neuroma in the brain. However most patients do not have acoustic neuroma but it is important to do this investigation to rule out this condition.
By "process" I understand the time taken to give a MRI report and this depends on the workflow at your scan center, a couple of days wait is acceptable. Please correct me if I have got your concept of the process wrong.
Acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor that grows along the nerve connecting the brain to the ear and its commonest location is in the cerebellopontine angle. The MRI scan helps to confirm is such a tumor is present or not. These tumors cause pressure on the nerve carrying auditory impulse from ear to the brain and this leads to hearing problems.
I too believe and hope that your symptoms are nothing more than due to stress and physical exertion, for which your aderall has also been doubled. The brain is a complex structure and it is always better to get evaluated on lines of the symptoms that you have. The MRI scan is just to make sure that there is no such pressure due to a benign tumor pressing on the nerve.
This tumor has an incidence rate of 11 in million people. Therefore please do not worry and lets hope for the best. I am an expert in MRI scans and once you get your results, we can discuss any findings in the scan. Please be assured that with symptoms for a month and half and with a lot of stress at work, possibility of a physical disease is less.
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
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank-you for your response and while I was aware that an acoustic neuroma is rare, I did not realize it was as rare as you pointed out. This knowledge does help to alleviate my anxiety a bit. However, I am not near as concerned of an acoustic neuroma as I am about the prospect of getting a worse diagnosis. Unfortunately, my personal experiences with brain tumors has not been very good. My brother-in- law spent a year of his life recovering from the removal of one and a very close family friend of mine passed away within a day of doctors finding a brain tumor, leaving four beautiful children behind. However, in both cases symptoms were quite different from what I have experienced so far. I am glad to hear that you find my evaluation of my stressful circumstance to be a likely source as well. However, I wonder if you believe whether or not the increase in adderall could also be a contributing factor? I do suffer from some anxiety, (not diagnosed), but I have a Master's degree in counseling and do believe that a generalized anxiety disorder is probably likely. I think the adderall tends to exacerbate those symptoms, but not to the point where it would be more beneficial to stop taking it all together. Unless, however, the adderall could be contributing to the ear pressure, hearing, and headaches?
Brief Answer:
Aderall might be associated with reversible hearing loss as below
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing back with an update.
Aderall contains Amphetamine/ Dextroamphetamine. I did a review of medical literature based on your query and here are the conclusions.
(i) Sensory perceptions are modified by amphetamines. Prolonged and heavy use can lead to neuronal damage, neurotransmitter depletion and receptor supersensitivity.
(ii) In the patients evaluated as a part of research, both ears were similarly affected. The symptom mostly appeared three to eight hours after ingestion of the tablets, and did not develop every time the drug was used.
(iii) Hearing was apparently recovered in every case within four to ten days of cessation of amphetamine use.
(iv) During the hearing loss, sounds were perceived as less loud and less sharp compared to normal. These cases suggest that chronic amphetamine use may result in reversible hearing loss.
Therefore there is proof to say that aderall can cause symptoms associated with hearing loss in those who take it for a longer duration.
The above is a rare side reversible side effect and must be discussed in context with clinical examination and imaging findings.
The medical information can be found online using the link below
http://www.ncbi.YYYY.gov/pubmed/0000
Headaches and ear pressure are also some of the symptoms associated with aderall intake.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
Aderall might be associated with reversible hearing loss as below
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing back with an update.
Aderall contains Amphetamine/ Dextroamphetamine. I did a review of medical literature based on your query and here are the conclusions.
(i) Sensory perceptions are modified by amphetamines. Prolonged and heavy use can lead to neuronal damage, neurotransmitter depletion and receptor supersensitivity.
(ii) In the patients evaluated as a part of research, both ears were similarly affected. The symptom mostly appeared three to eight hours after ingestion of the tablets, and did not develop every time the drug was used.
(iii) Hearing was apparently recovered in every case within four to ten days of cessation of amphetamine use.
(iv) During the hearing loss, sounds were perceived as less loud and less sharp compared to normal. These cases suggest that chronic amphetamine use may result in reversible hearing loss.
Therefore there is proof to say that aderall can cause symptoms associated with hearing loss in those who take it for a longer duration.
The above is a rare side reversible side effect and must be discussed in context with clinical examination and imaging findings.
The medical information can be found online using the link below
http://www.ncbi.YYYY.gov/pubmed/0000
Headaches and ear pressure are also some of the symptoms associated with aderall intake.
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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