These tumors grow from the sheath covering the vestibulocochlear nerve. However, if they are large or impacting one of the facial nerves, they can cause numbness, tingling or even facial paralysis.Acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) OverviewĪn acoustic neuroma is a tumor that grows from the nerves responsible for balance and hearing. Headaches - Acoustic neuroma patients sometimes recall, after diagnosis, that they had unexplained headaches.įacial pain, numbness, paralysis - Acoustic neuromas are usually discovered before they cause facial symptoms.
It can occur very gradually and may go unnoticed as the body has many compensating mechanisms. Not all patients with tinnitus have a brain tumor.įeeling of fullness in the ears - Acoustic neuroma patients sometimes complain of a feeling that their ear is plugged or "full.”īalance problems, vertigo - Acoustic neuroma patients often experience balance issues before diagnosis. Tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears) - Most AN patients do have tinnitus both before and after treatment. Unilateral hearing loss is usually the first symptom that leads to discovery of this benign brain tumor. In most acoustic neuroma patients, the loss is more pronounced in the higher frequencies. Unilateral Hearing Loss (on one side only) - This can sometimes occur suddenly (sudden hearing loss), but it generally can be very gradual, over months or years. Even though the facial nerve (the nerve that moves the face) may be compressed by the tumor, it is unusual for patients to experience weakness or paralysis of the face from acoustic neuroma, although this may occasionally occur, either short or long term. This can be a life-threatening complication requiring urgent treatment. Tumor-related increase of intracranial pressure may cause headaches, clumsy gait and mental confusion. Larger tumors can press on the trigeminal nerve, causing facial or tongue numbness and tingling, constantly or intermittently. The remainder of the balance system sometimes compensates for this loss, and, in some cases, no imbalance will be noticed. Acoustic neuroma patients often experience balance issues before diagnosis. Since the balance portion of the eighth nerve is where the tumor arises, unsteadiness, vertigo, dizziness, or what many describe as ‘wonky-headedness’ may occur during the growth of the tumor. Some people find that these acoustic neuroma symptoms may come and go or fluctuate over time. Other presenting symptoms can include a feeling of fullness/plugging in the ear, headache, facial weakness/paralysis, fatigue, eye problems, cognitive changes, and oral/swallowing issues. Sometimes the patient or doctor attributes hearing loss to aging, noise exposure, or allergies.Īpproximately 70% of patients reported tinnitus (ringing or noise in the ear) at the time of diagnosis, 57% reported vertigo/dizziness or balance issues. Hearing loss with acoustic neuroma is usually subtle and more pronounced in higher frequencies, although sudden hearing loss can occur. In the 2014 ANA Patient Survey, almost 88% of participants indicated they had single-sided hearing loss at the time of diagnosis. Early symptoms can be mistaken for other medical issues, may be ignored, or overlooked, thus making diagnosis a challenge.
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