My brother went to an audiologist to purchase a hearing aid and he was told he could not be fit until he was cleared by an Ear, Nose and Throat physician because he had a possibility of a tumor. Should we be worried?

Yes you should be somewhat worried and make sure that he follows through with his Ear, Nose and Throat physician. Tumors of the eighth cranial nerve (acoustic neuromas) are very rare but if present they can press against the nerve from the inner ear to the brain or press against the brain stem causing other problems besides hearing loss.

The Ear, Nose and Throat physician typically orders an MRI of the eighth cranial nerve and surrounding areas. If an acoustic neuroma is found it will most likely need to be removed by surgery. Once the tumor is removed the patient may or may not need a hearing aid. A new hearing evaluation would need to be performed to see if there was a change in hearing.

I firmly believe it is important for anyone over 60 to have a full evaluation from a certified audiologist. Especially if one feels that one ear doesn't hear or understand as well as the other ear. I do not recommend purchasing hearing aids from the mail or hearing aid providers that are more interested in sales then the health of the hearing impaired person. Audiologists are usually the first to detect the red flags that indicate the possibility of an acoustic neuroma.

Recently I had a patient call me and thank me for finding her acoustic neuroma. She mentioned that the Ear, Nose and Throat physician was impressed that I referred her instead of just fitting her with an aid for that ear. This woman's tumor was very slow growing, so slow, that she didn't even realize the reduction of hearing in her right ear. The tumor was found as it was just starting to press on her brainstem. She is currently scheduled to have surgery and I hope it goes well and sincerely hope she won't need a hearing aid afterward.

I always err on the side of caution. If I suspect anything unusual or if someone can help their hearing by medical or surgical means I always refer. Some types of hearing loss can be repaired by medical or surgical procedures like repair of a ruptured ear drum or using a shunt to replace a middle ear bone. Medication can cure most middle ear infections. I would never want to fit someone with a hearing aid if there was another solution that might work better for someone.

Dr. Tia Flynn is a certified audiologist and has been in business for more than 10 years. Every Tuesday morning from 9 a.m. to noon, Dr. Flynn provides free hearing screenings at 1601 Third St. in Coeur d'Alene. Information: (208) 664-2767