Help! Severe hearing loss from radiation treatment?

cassmike
cassmike Member Posts: 13
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I had about three months of radiation on my neck and chest area in 1991. Last year I started to lose my hearing in my left ear, the same side I was radiated on. I have severe nerve damage and cannot hear at all out of it. My oncologist believes it is a result of the treatment. Has anyone else had this problem?

Comments

  • BugHunter
    BugHunter Member Posts: 152
    #2
    I have not heard of such a problem(no pun intended). It does strike me as odd that it would take 16 years to show up all of a sudden. Hope they find a fix for you!


    BILL
  • HAWVET
    HAWVET Member Posts: 318
    #3
    I have had minor problems with my ears after radiation but it came within a few years. I understand an Oncologist may know what is causing your hearing loss, but it may be due to other causes. Have you seen a Otalaryngologist?
  • cassmike
    cassmike Member Posts: 13
    #4
    HAWVET said:

    I have had minor problems with my ears after radiation but it came within a few years. I understand an Oncologist may know what is causing your hearing loss, but it may be due to other causes. Have you seen a Otalaryngologist?

    Thanks for your email. No I have not seen an Otalaryngologist. That is probably a good idea. What minor problems have you had?
  • 3_Putt
    3_Putt Member Posts: 18
    #5
    I've got high frequency hearing loss and pretty bad tinnitus. It came on during treatment. Doc said it was from chemo, but I don't know if it was the Erbitux, Cisplatin or both? A year and a half later, I'm hearing a little better, but the tinnitus is getting a little worse.
  • HAWVET
    HAWVET Member Posts: 318
    #6
    cassmike said:

    Thanks for your email. No I have not seen an Otalaryngologist. That is probably a good idea. What minor problems have you had?

    Mike,
    I was having ear presurerization problems. According to the otalaryngologist, this was because of the scarring tissues from the radiation treatment. My cancer was nasopharyngeal. I had my cancer in 1998. I still have pressurization problems, but not as frequent. A few years ago, I experienced high frequency hearing loss. I got a hearing aid, but it did not help much. I did not check, but I had thought that the loss was a result of getting old. I have a zero percent rating for hearing from the VA so they paid for the hearing aid and will for any future problems.
    Johnny
  • be4man
    be4man Member Posts: 18
    #7
    3_Putt said:

    I've got high frequency hearing loss and pretty bad tinnitus. It came on during treatment. Doc said it was from chemo, but I don't know if it was the Erbitux, Cisplatin or both? A year and a half later, I'm hearing a little better, but the tinnitus is getting a little worse.

    My Oncologist warned me of hearing loss from Cisplatan and after 2 month's out from treatment I haven't noticed any changes. For how long it can be a threat I don't know.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #8
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