To be worried about a brain tumour? (Tinnitus related).

[Moveandlonsters]

I have tinnitus, it’s really loud, only in 1 ear and constant. I also have anxiety and after Googling I’ve convinced myself I have a brain tumour. I’m waiting for a ENT referral to come through, and waiting for CBT for the anxiety.

But in the meantime has anyone had tinnitus in just 1 ear at a constant noise level for months and it not been anything bad?

Tinnitus doesn't always have a cause, and it's harmless (though annoying). I've had it my entire life. If you are finding it hard to cope some days you can try keeping some background noise on. Music on low or a TV on a random channel can really help drown it out.

It's nothing to be worried about and more people have it than you'd think. I was born with it myself.

Tinnitus for over 20 years mine is caused by damage to my ear drum that has weakened over time.

It's easy to say, but try not to focus and worry. It's very unlikely it'll be a tumour.

Four years ago i went to GP with awful tinnitus in one ear. Its a rainforest! Birds tweeting, insects buzzing, waterfalls cascading! I had an MRI to rule out anything sinister then a hearing test. I had significant hearing loss on that side and the brain apparently over compensates. From seeing GP to being fitted for hearing aids took approximately 4 weeks and i was like a new woman but, without the aids in, my rainforest is still very much with me. Try not to worry op.

I got tinnitus in my left ear around 18 months ago, I had a bad cold and when it cleared up the tinnitus was just there. I was sent for a hearing test and an MRI and all was fine, by that I mean there is nothing causing my tinnitus, it won't ever go away or according to the consultants I've seen it's very rare for it to disappear. I had 4 tinnitus counselling sessions (NHS) and found them incredibly helpful, have you been offered these? Tbh op it impact my life very little now. At 4 months in I thought I would go actually insane over it.

'My concern is that if benign tumours can cause those symptoms, so can malignant ones. I’m not sure if that’s just me catastrophising.'

It has to be in a particular place to cause that symptom, and tumours in that area are almost never malignant. I have unfortunately known several people with malignant brain tumours, and none of them had tinnitus. In any case, tinnitus is usually caused by a problem in the ear itself, and is rarely serious except for being unpleasant.