Woman receives 'terrifying' diagnosis after thinking 'ringing' in her ears was caused by flying

Following a series of long-haul flights in 2022, a British mum noticed an unnerving ringing sensation in her ears.

Being that air travel has been known to marginally affect hearing, however, due to the pressure within the plane's cabin, 46-year-old Megan Williamson thought nothing of it, convinced the noise would soon subside.

The uncomfortable ringing soon developed into pain, leaving the Warrington-born mother-of-three struggling to continue doing the most basic of daily tasks.

Little did Megan know at the time, however, that the sound inside her head and accompanying agony was actually being caused by a much more serious condition, which doctors would later discover was putting her life at risk.

"I honestly thought it was nothing, just pressure from flying or blocked ears," she recalled of her experience.

"I remember thinking, this is silly, they’ll probably tell me to pop my ears, and it’ll all go away.

Megan Williamson became convinced that the ringing was caused by long-haul flights (Getty Stock Image)

"But the ringing didn’t stop, and it was getting on my nerves."

Megan added that she often noticed the silence when her three teenagers went out, claiming that after a recent long-distance flight, the ringing began 'getting on her nerves'.

Eventually - almost two years after the sound began - she booked an appointment with her GP to assess the problem, and was referred to Leighton Hospital, Crewe, for a scan.

Days later, the mum received a call she was never expecting.

In March 2024, Megan was informed that she actually had a rare brain tumour, known as a vestibular schwannoma.

"When the GP called and said they’d found something, I felt like the floor disappeared beneath me," she admitted.

Though noncancerous, the condition affects the nerve responsible for hearing and balance and is known to cause ringing within the head.

"[The nurse] told me it was low-grade but that didn’t stop the panic," Megan continued. "The word 'tumour' is terrifying.

"I just kept thinking, how do I tell my husband? How do I tell the kids? What will this mean for our future?"

The mum-of-three was horrified to receive her diagnosis (SWNS)

The mother was later referred to the Walton Centre in Liverpool, where medics confirmed that her tumour was slow-growing.

As a result, they also advised against Megan undergoing surgery to have the mass removed.

"Surgery carries risks of facial palsy and hearing loss, so for now the plan is to monitor it with annual scans," she explained.

"I feel really lucky it’s small and was caught early, but it’s still a huge thing to process. You don’t expect to be told you have a brain tumour when you feel otherwise healthy."

While not strictly linked to cancer, Megan's condition is often referred to as 'tinnitus', the name for hearing noises that do not come from an outside source - as per the NHS.

"The tinnitus is still there and can be really frustrating," she explained, adding that she tries not to let the condition affect her day-to-day.

"I’m trying to treat it like background noise and get on with things, but it’s always there as a reminder.

"I try not to let it rule my life, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t in the back of my mind every day."

Sadly, however, the fact that Megan lost her childhood friend, Katie Whelan, to a brain tumour when they were just 22 means that the condition constantly plays on her mind.

Megan is learning to live with tinnitus (Getty Stock Image)

Katie was informed her cancer was too advanced at the time, despite having raised the issues of persisstent headaches and tinging with her GP for several months.

"[She] was always the life of the party; tall, beautiful, and so much fun," Megan said of her friend.

"We grew up together, and losing her to a brain tumour at such a young age changed everything for our close-knit friendship group. We should have been planning nights out together, not attending her funeral."

Now, Megan is attempting to raise awareness of the need to seek medical attention if you suspect there might be something wrong, and is taking part in the '200k in May Your Way' to do so.

The challenge sees part-takers walking, running, cycling, swimming or combine activities throughout the month in a bid to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research.

"I’ve seen just how devastating brain tumours can be, and I know how limited the treatment options are for so many," Megan said.

Find out more about Megan's campaign here.