Hello everyone, I am new here and have some inquiries. I am a 22 year old male with left sided tinnitus and somewhat debiliating balance problems. I also experience vertigo from time to time but mostly have pretty severe disequilibrium. I suffered similar problems in 2003 that lasted for about a year and then seemed to disappear. During that time I had many different tests relating to balance, hearing, and eventually was sent for an MRI. Everything came back normal and eventually I got on with my life. In March of 2006, I suffered an ear injury which seemed to bring back the symptoms of disequilibrium, vertigo, and tinnitus. Since then, my symptoms seem to have gotten worse and I find it very difficult to stand and walk. My tinnitus is still on my left side and flucuates quite alot. I have had two more MRI's (the latest with contrast) since this started and all have come back normal, and have seen multiple doctors concerning my problems. My question is what exactly could this be? I am quite worried that this could be an acoustic neuroma or worse, NF2. My latest MRI was with contrast and it came back normal and I don't have any hearing loss. When I received a copy of it, I took a look out of curiosity at the acoustic nerves. From what I can see, the left side looks somewhat strange compared to the right side, not enhanced like one would expect from a tumour, but strange and distorted. My otolyrgylogist says it is nothing and like I said, the radiology report came back normal. What should I make of it? Is it possible to miss a tumor on a contrast enhanced MRI or am I just worrying needlessly?
