Health Library
Glomus tympanicum tumor
Paraganglioma - glomus tympanicum; Middle ear paraganglioma
A glomus tympanicum tumor is a tumor of the middle ear and bone behind the ear (mastoid).
I Would Like to Learn About:
Causes
A glomus tympanicum tumor grows in the temporal bone of the skull, behind the eardrum (tympanic membrane).
This area contains nerve fibers (glomus bodies) that normally respond to changes in body temperature or blood pressure.
These tumors most often occur late in life, around age 60 or 70, but they can appear at any age.
The cause of a glomus tympanicum tumor is unknown. In most cases, there are no known risk factors. Glomus tumors have been associated with changes (mutations) in a gene responsible for the enzyme succinate dehydrogenase (SDHD).
Symptoms
Symptoms may include:
- Hearing problems or loss
- Ringing or heart beat sounds in the ear (pulsatile tinnitus)
- Weakness or loss of movement in the face (facial nerve palsy)
Exams and Tests
Glomus tympanicum tumors are diagnosed by a physical exam. They may be seen in the ear or behind the eardrum.
Diagnosis also involves scans, including:
Treatment
Glomus tympanicum tumors are rarely cancerous and do not tend to spread to other parts of the body. However, treatment may be needed to relieve symptoms.
Outlook (Prognosis)
People who have surgery usually do well. More than 90% of people with glomus tympanicum tumors are cured.
Possible Complications
The most common complication is hearing loss. Other complications may include:
- Hole in the eardrum
- Bleeding from the ear
Nerve damage, which may be caused by the tumor itself or damage during surgery, rarely occurs. Nerve damage can lead to facial paralysis.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Contact your health care provider if you notice:
- Difficulty with hearing or swallowing
- Problems with the muscles in your face
- Pulsing sensation in your ear
References
Gubbels SP, Hartl RB, Crowson MG, Jenkns HA, Marsh M. Temporal bone neoplasms and lateral cranial base surgery. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 178.
Rucker JC, Seay MD. Cranial neuropathies. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 103.
Verlicchi A, Nicolato A, Valvassori, L, De Donato G, Zanotti B. Head and neck paragangliomas. In: Winn HR, ed. Youmans and Winn Neurological Surgery. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 181.
BACK TO TOPReview Date: 10/15/2025
Reviewed By: James L. Demetroulakos, MD, F.A.C.S., Department of Otolaryngology, North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
 | A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. |
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language.
© 1997-
2026 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
All content on this site including text, images, graphics, audio, video, data, metadata, and compilations is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. You may view the content for personal, noncommercial use. Any other use requires prior written consent from Ebix. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, transmit, display, publish, reverse-engineer, adapt, modify, store beyond ordinary browser caching, index, mine, scrape, or create derivative works from this content. You may not use automated tools to access or extract content, including to create embeddings, vectors, datasets, or indexes for retrieval systems. Use of any content for training, fine-tuning, calibrating, testing, evaluating, or improving AI systems of any kind is prohibited without express written consent. This includes large language models, machine learning models, neural networks, generative systems, retrieval-augmented systems, and any software that ingests content to produce outputs. Any unauthorized use of the content including AI-related use is a violation of our rights and may result in legal action, damages, and statutory penalties to the fullest extent permitted by law. Ebix reserves the right to enforce its rights through legal, technological, and contractual measures.
