Tinnitus

Soonerman
Soonerman Member Posts: 8
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello to the group, it's my first post. I am 4 months post treatment for HPV+ SCC in the left tonsil. I also had one lymph node on the same side excised which was how the cancer was discovered. Fortunately, the cancer was encapsulated within the lymph node. I was diagnosed as Stage I with the new staging system. I did 33 rounds of radiation but opted out of the 7 rounds of Cisplatin. The last thing my radiation oncologist told me that it was a smart decision. To my point, I am experiencing tinnitus. Has anyone else experienced this with only doing rads?

 

Comments

  • wbcgaruss
    wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,451 Member
    #2
    I Have Tinnitus But

    I also had chemo with my rads so I am not in the same category. See if others answer with just rads or if it is usually the combination treatment that causes it.

  • Soonerman
    Soonerman Member Posts: 8
    #3
    wbcgaruss said:

    I Have Tinnitus But

    I also had chemo with my rads so I am not in the same category. See if others answer with just rads or if it is usually the combination treatment that causes it.

    Everything I've read says

    Everything I've read says Cisplatin will cause hearing loss and/or tinnitus. My theory is that the radiation has damaged the cilia in my ear canal and thus causing tinnitus. Granted, I haven't ran that therory aacross my ENT. 

  • ERomanO
    ERomanO Member Posts: 323 Member
    #4
    I've had tinnitus for close

    I've had tinnitus for close to 25 years so I was happy when the Cisplatin did not affect my hearing in any noticeable way.  I have not heard of radiation causing tinnitus, but radiation is hard on the body and shifting the beam in any direction can be the difference between something being spared the effects or suffering damage.

    It would be interesting to hear what your ENT says.

  • Logan51
    Logan51 Member Posts: 467 Member
    #5
    For what it's worth

    I was Nasopharyngeal w/unknown Primary, they zapped me in 20 places in head and throat...I did not notice the tinnitus until around 7 years post-tx. Told my PCP about it, and he said most people my age (65) will have developed it to a degree. AND, I got the full quota of Cisplatin and have noticed no impact on my hearing ability. Again, for what it's worth.

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