Question: I went to get an MRI to look for a possible tumor by the nerve to the ear. There is no tumor, but the scan results list a "thickening of the mucousal membrane". My doctor's office called me with the results and said my doctor wants to put me on Nasonex 2 times a day for six weeks and then I should come back in. This sounds like needless treatment to me. What could my doctor be trying to do?

Details: I went to the doctor due to hearing problems and ringing in the ears. They removed a large amount of wax from both ears. Then they tested my hearing. It was normal-ish, with the left ear worse than the right. Six months later I went for a follow up hearing test, and although both ears had improved there was an increase in the gap between left and right ears. (Left ear still worse, and right on the borderline of the "normal" line on the graph.) I also mentioned an odd episode I had where I suddenly lost hearing in the left ear for a few hours. The doctor was worried about a tumor, so we did an MRI. There's not a tumor. I don't understand what my doctor is trying to accomplish by further treatment.