Acoustic neuroma
An acoustic neuroma is a benign (non-cancerous) tumour that can affect hearing and balance.
An acoustic neuroma grows in the eighth cranial nerve in the brain – a nerve also known as the vestibulocochlear nerve. This nerve is responsible for controlling hearing and balance.
Acoustic neuroma causes
The cause of acoustic neuroma is usually not known. A few people who have an acoustic neuroma also have a rare inherited condition called neurofibromatosis type 2. But for most people, there is no obvious cause.
Acoustic neuroma symptoms
Usually acoustic neuromas grow very slowly. This means there may not be any symptoms in the early stages when the tumour is small.
Many people say they notice some loss of hearing and tinnitus, or ringing in the ears. Usually one ear is affected, but both ears can be involved if the person has neurofibromatosis type 2.
Whether or not there are any other symptoms can depend on the size of the tumour and how hard it presses on the eighth cranial nerve. Some people with an acoustic neuroma get:
- dizziness or vertigo, which is a feeling that the space around you is spinning
- loss of balance
- headache
- facial numbness or tingling.
Acoustic neuroma diagnosis
If your doctor suspects you have acoustic neuroma, they might send you for tests such as hearing tests and magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI. An MRI allows your doctor to see if there’s a tumour, and its size and position if there is one.
Acoustic neuroma treatment
The options for treatment include:
- no treatment – just monitoring the tumour growth and related symptoms
- surgery – to cut out the tumour
- stereotactic treatment – this procedure sends focused radiation to the tumour to stop it from growing.
Which treatment you have depends on the size and location or the tumour, your symptoms, your age and general health, and what you want. You can read more about treating acoustic neuromas at the Whirled Foundation.
Even though acoustic neuromas are not cancerous, they can cause serious, permanent damage to nerves. If you have any of the symptoms listed above, see your doctor as soon as possible.
Last reviewed: August 2016
