Osteomas are benign head tumors made of bone. They’re usually found in the head or skull, but they can also be found in the neck. While osteomas are not cancerous, they can sometimes cause headaches, sinus infections, hearing issues or vision problems – however, many benign osteomas don’t require treatment at all. If treatment is needed, your doctor may prescribe surgery, pain relievers or other minimally invasive techniques to provide relief.
Symptoms of osteomas
If you have a benign head tumor or skull tumor, you might notice a hard lump or bump before experiencing symptoms. Symptoms from osteomas are rare.
If you do have symptoms, the size and location of your osteoma can cause specific symptoms. Common locations for osteoma tumors and their potential symptoms include:
Forehead osteoma
When the osteoma is on your forehead and skull, you may experience headaches.
Ear osteoma
An osteoma in your ear canal could cause temporary hearing loss.
Sinus osteoma
If your osteoma forms near your sinuses, it could lead to a sinus infection.
Eye osteoma
An osteoma near the eye can cause your eye to protrude (proptosis).
Jawbone osteoma
You may experience facial pain if your osteoma is near your jawbone.
Keep in mind that having a headache, sinus infection or another common health issue does not necessarily mean you have an osteoma bone tumor – but if you’re concerned about a possible tumor or are experiencing painful symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor right away.
What causes osteoma tumors?
Osteoma tumors can affect anyone. Osteoma causes are unknown, but it could be due to genetics or trauma and inflammation in the affected area.
Diagnosis of osteomas
There are three different ways your doctor can make an osteoma diagnosis.
These include:
- Routine exam: Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms and perform a physical exam to check for osteomas.
- CT scan: Also known as a CAT scan, this diagnostic test produces high-resolution pictures of the insides of your head and neck. Similar to an X-Ray but more powerful, a CT scan reveals the location ofthe tumor so your doctor can see the osteoma size and placement within the body.
- Bone scan: A bone scan is an imaging test that uses a small, safe amount of radioactive dye as a tracer to locate osteomas in the head, skull or neck.
Once your doctor diagnoses a benign osteoma, they’ll discuss the best osteoma treatment options for your unique situation.
Osteoma vs. osteoid osteoma tumors
Like osteoma, osteoid osteoma is also a benign bone tumor that doesn’t grow or spread in your body. It’s found in your long bones like the shin and thigh bones, and sometimes the spine, hands or arms. It’s treated similarly to osteoma.
Treatment options for osteomas
If you have an osteoma and it’s not causing any symptoms, your doctor may recommend leaving it alone. But if you’re in pain or it’s noticeable on your face, your osteoma treatment options include:
- Surgery to remove the benign head tumor. In some cases, your doctor may be able to remove the tumor by going through the nostrils using the Expanded Endonasal Approach (EEA), a minimally invasive surgical technique that gives you a shorter hospital stay, faster recovery and no scarring.
- Over-the-counter pain relievers.
- A procedure that uses radiofrequency waves to pulverize the tumor and prevent it from growing back (percutaneous radiofrequency ablation).
Our team of otolaryngologists will create an effective, customized treatment plan that is minimally disruptive and offers the fastest recovery time possible. Treatment for benign osteoma is available at our clinics and hospitals in Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Green Bay, and throughout eastern Wisconsin.
