About acoustic neuromas

An acoustic neuroma (a.k.a. vestibular schwannoma) is a benign tumor within the brain cavity, which arises from the eighth cranial nerve (the nerve of hearing and balance). It is generally a slow-growing tumour, but at times can grow at an alarming rate.

As it grows, an acoustic neuroma can produce a number of characteristic clinical features, such as:

• Hearing loss
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ear)
• Dizziness
• Facial numbness (when the tumour is 2.5cm+)
• Severe imbalance, headaches, nausea, facial weakness (when the tumour is 2.5cm+)
• Life threatening problems are rare

Unfortunately, there is no way of telling whether the tumour is growing or remaining stable in size, unless the patient is being followed over an extended period of time with repeated CT scans or MRI.