Woman, 29, thought her hearing loss was from blasting music too loud. Then doctors found 7 brain tumors

Sophie Martin recalls the "horrific experience" of being diagnosed with a rare genetic condition

NEED TO KNOW

• Sophie Martin was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 2 after experiencing worsening hearing loss and vertigo
• Doctors discovered seven benign tumors on her brain and spinal cord requiring emergency surgeries and ongoing treatment
• The condition has left her with significant health challenges but she remains optimistic about her future

A woman believed her hearing troubles were caused by blasting her music too loud before doctors discovered multiple tumors on her brain and spinal cord.

In early 2025, Sophie Martin — a 29-year-old from Cumbria, England — first noticed she was struggling to hear her music in her earphones.

“I noticed I had slight hearing loss in my right ear,” she told Southwest News Service. “When I would talk on the phone, it would be slightly muffled, and earphones would be quieter on the right, but nothing in real-life conversation, so I didn't think much of it.”

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Martin said that since she listened to loud music frequently, she attributed her hearing problems to that and thought she had developed tinnitus.

However, in June 2025, Martin said her hearing loss got “dramatically worse.” She found herself no longer taking phone calls; instead, having in-person conversations and saying “what” 50 times.

“I then started to get vertigo attacks where I had to sit down until it passed, which then obviously led me to the GP,” she said.

Martin said that her general practitioner “wasn't happy” with her symptoms, so she was sent to the hospital to get a CT scan. Shortly after, doctors told her that her scans showed a mass on her brain.

“I went home absolutely terrified, thinking my hearing loss had caused a brain tumor,” she recalled. “That night, the hospital called me, telling me to come in urgently as I had an alarming level of fluid on my brain.”

Martin was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 2, and told she needed emergency surgery to insert a VP shunt and drain the fluid in her brain. After the surgery and additional testing, doctors informed her that seven benign tumors were discovered on her brain and spinal cord.

“The fluid build-up was caused by the brain tumors, which is a common symptom in NF2 patients,” she said.

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Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is a genetic condition that causes tumors to grow on the nerves — particularly those in the skull and spine — and affect balance and hearing, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. About 50% to 75% of people with NF2 will also develop benign tumors on the brain or along the spine, which can cause symptoms like pain, dizziness, hearing loss, numbness and weakness.

Since her diagnosis, Martin regularly travels three hours for treatment at a clinic specializing in NF2.

In January 2026, she underwent surgery to remove an acoustic neuroma, a tumor that affects hearing and balance. The procedure left her with significant health challenges.

“I had to have emergency surgery again as one of my brain tumors had rapidly grown to 4.6cm and was pressing and causing damage,” she said. “I was temporarily wheelchair bound; it was a horrific experience, but 10 hours later, I was done.”

“I have been left with facial palsy, I am 90% deaf and my vision is weaker, but I am still keeping upbeat,” she told the outlet. “My brain tumor removal was the scariest time of my life, but the surgeons were absolutely amazing.”

Martin admitted that it's “terrifying” getting new scans done because she knows any tumors can cause a lot of damage if not treated. Despite the unknowns, she said she's remaining optimistic.

“The doctors didn't mention a prognosis, however they did tell me I have a 50 per cent chance of passing it to any future children I may have,” she said. “A year on I am still learning new things every day about this condition, I still feel a bit like I am watching somebody else's life and it's not my own but I have accepted it for what it is.”

“It could be a lot worse,” she added.

Read the original article on People