MS and unilateral hearing loss

[ncowleyc]

Okay here is another question. Kinda feel like I'm posting too much. I have ongoing gradual hearing loss preceded by tinittus in my right ear followed by numbness around and in ear. First it was happening once a month, then every other week, then once a week, now almost every day sometimes a couple of times a day. No pain or anything. Same side as TN. I think it was after that TN it started. Hearing used to go back to normal but now it's muffled and after an attack get's more so. Had attack today that felt like I was almost deaf. Got better but still pretty muffled. Sound like ear infection or symptom of MS? Should I mention to eye doc this friday or go to emergency room now? Thanks.

[Deb61]

This is a really old post-- perhaps you can post your own separate thread?  

I have hearing loss, too.  When I move my eyes from one side to the other, the ringing in my ears gets louder.  My old neuro said that this is because of the demyelination of the cranial nerves causes the "wires to cross".

I just saw the MS Specialist a couple of days ago.  She said that hearing loss in MS is very uncommon.  She said it can happen, but it is rare that MS is the cause.

Best wishes in finding the cause of your symptoms.

Deb

[Caity372]

Wow!

Was so glad to read that someone else's gets louder when you open your mouth wide (that's why I kept thinking mine was dental in nature).  With other symptoms, looking like my diagnosis of MS as the reason is not far way.  First time seeing neurologist because PCP always ignored my multiple symptoms for over 20 years.

[JonM]

Odd you mention itching, I have that problem too.  In fact it preceded my ringing by about a year and both have been worse since the MS came about.  Worse on right than left.  I can really make the ringing louder when I open my jaw wide or yawn and oddly I can calm down the itching by repositioning my head.

Jon

[doni54]

I haven't suffered hearing loss yet, but the ringing in my ears has been with me this entire year, never goes away.  When I am having a bad day, and other symtoms are giving me fits,  the ringing seems to be louder.  This past week up until now, my right ear seems to be muffled, doesn't really hurt, and the ringing is very annoying.

I have boughts of dizziness everyday and have for the past few months.  I will just be sitting and all of a sudden it's like my head does a whirly and I have to close my eyes. Always feel like I am walking crooked and have many dizzy spells when I am walking.

I don't post here much cause I haven't had the opportunity for any tests yet so I guess I consider myself in total limbo.  I have to wait until I can get my insurance situation resolved before I schedule any tests.

I have so many symptoms that those of you dx with MS have, but just won't know until testing is done.

My ear problems started out with boughts of extreme itching, almost like something was crawling around inside my ears (know that sounds gross).  Some ringing, but as I said before, the ringing, and itching, is constant now.

Well, I'm going to go look up Meniere's, as I want to read up on this condition.  Thanks to all for your good info.  I have learned much from Quix and all of you.  It really does help to be informed and maybe someday I'll be in the position to finally get tests and resolve whatever it is going on with me.

I hope everyone has a great day!

Doni

[Quixotic1]

Once again, with feeling!  Hi, I think Jon nailed the answer to you.  Your symptoms as they occur together are suggestive of Menier's disease, but are actually too brief and frequent to make it very likely.  Also the complete lack of dizziness is very unusual (but not impossible) given the disease is defined by the trio of symptoms -  tinnitus, fluccuating hearing loss, and vertigo.  

It is more likely that the same process that caused your apparent TN and ON (which would be problems with the 5th and the 2nd cranial nerves) is affecting the 8th nerve which is to the ear and hearing.  I haven't read much on it, but I also agree with Jon that non-MS things that affect the nerves (like CTS, or other pinched nerves, or Meniere's, etc) are amplified when you have MS, as you very well might.

I have the same episodes as you do with the sudden tone in the ear, the hearing fading away and I also have a sensation that the axis of gravity has shifted slightly.  I feel like the world has tilted and over the next few minutes I have to reorient to the new up/down.  I've had these all my life and they were always brief and just a momentary weirdness.  Since the MS they are more pronounced, longer and much more upsetting.

MS can cause hearing loss.  It is not common, but is well described.  One of our members Lynn, has suffered this as a consequence of her MS.

Don't worry about posting a lot.  It is common when someone new comes on the board with suspicious symptoms.  You begin analyzing everything in a new way and paying attention to things that earlier you probably just overlooked or didn't consider.  For a while one often really becomes quite inwardly focused and paranoid about every odd sensation.  It settles down after a while, but a lot of us have thought we were going crazy or becoming hypochondriacs.  If you think about it, our whole world is changing and the new perspective raises a lot of questions.

Take care, Quix

[JonM]

To check the Optic Neuritis get a Visual Evoked Potential test, your Optho may not be able to do this.

and

go see an ENT about this ear issue.
Jon

[ncowleyc]

No dizziness or vertigo when it happens. First ringing in right ear lasting 5-10 seconds then muffled hearing and numbness. Some fullness which could be the numbness. It just seems to be getting worse. My TN started in that ear too. Not sure related. No dx's of MS yet. Going to see Optho about right eye ON.

[JonM]

Do you have a sense of fullness in the ear and/or any vertigo (spinning) during these episodes?

If you already have a DX of MS it probably is related.  Its possible you may have borderline/mild Meniere's Disease which might be amplified (if you will) by MS.

I have MS and have ringing (varies), episodes of fullness and brief vertigo, no deafness, and it could be MD where the MS is making it more obvious and noticeable.  I also have mild carpal tunnel and I believe the MS makes it more noticeable too.

Jon