Why am I having right ear fullness and background noise?
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
I am having right ear fullness and it started several days ago. Last night I awoke due to a pulsating pain in my right ear. I hear some background noise and in silent environment, it is most evident. Is that fine? I had Bell's palsy 2.5 months ago on the left side and again, a month ago on the right. Both are very mild cases. I had an MRI 2.5 months ago and that was normal.
Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
You are having sensorineural hearing loss. It is in early stage and mild. So, you are having pulsation in the ear. Another important thing is bilateral Bell's palsy. It is not common. Having facial palsy is not good and the developing sensorineural component suggests that you may have problem in the brain. The most common reason is a lesion in CP angle (cerebellopontine angle) and it may be acoustic neuroma or vascular lesion. Now, the above assumption is based on the diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss. It has to be confirmed by pure tone audiogram and if needed special tests of hearing. If your MRI was contrast enhanced and normal, then you have to go other tests to rule out other set of etiologies for bilateral Bell's palsy I suggest you to get ear examined and hearing tests done. You may consider to check with neurologist after that. The list of differential diagnosis includes multiple sclerosis, rubella, sarcoidosis, Guillian Barre syndrome, infectious mononucleosis, lymphoma and leptospirosis.
Patient's Query
Thank you doctor,
I thought with the normal MRI I would be good. I suffer from anxiety and stress and my GP said most of this is related to that. Also, he said the right side issue is due to Bell's palsy and left side was viral. Three months back, I had a bad flu like virus attack and was treated with antiviral medicine and Prednisone. Do you believe it as lesion related?
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
I hope your GP or ENT specialist must have got blood tests along with MRI to look for the cause of facial palsy. If those tests were normal, then relax. You do not have anything to worry. If not, then please get routine blood investigations. All the above diseases I mentioned can be picked up in basic blood tests. The only test you definitely need to get it now is hearing test to rule out any sensorineural component. There are so many causes for abnormal sounds in the ear. But, recent history of facial palsy was worrying If both are not of same etiology, then do not worry. You will be fine.
Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!
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