Acoustic neuroma is a rare, non-cancerous tumor that develops on the main nerve that goes from the inner ear to the brain.... Since the branches of this nerve directly affect balance and hearing, pressure from the tumor can lead to hearing loss, ringing in the ears, and imbalance.

Acoustic neuroma, also known as vestibular schwannoma, grows slowly or not at all...but in rare cases, it may grow rapidly and become large enough to press on the brain and interfere with vital functions.

Treatment methods for acoustic neuroma include regular surveillance, radiation therapy, and surgical removal of the tumor. To learn more about this disease, stay tuned to the end of this article from GCORP LLC magazine.

Symptoms of acoustic neuroma

Symptoms of acoustic neuroma are caused by tumor pressure on the main nerve or nearby nerves, blood vessels, and brain structures, and are more likely to occur as the tumor grows. However, tumor size is not always related to the severity of symptoms, as a small tumor may cause significant symptoms.

In general, if you get this disease, you will likely experience the following:

• Hearing loss, usually gradual over months or years (rarely, this problem occurs suddenly.. Hearing loss often involves one ear or is more noticeable on one side.)
• Hearing a ringing sound in the affected ear (tinnitus)
• Imbalance
• dizziness
• Facial numbness and in rare cases weakness

Rarely, the tumor grows so large that it puts pressure on the brain stem and threatens your life.

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Time to see a doctor

See a doctor if you have hearing loss, ringing in the ears, or inability to balance... If you see your general practitioner first, he or she may refer you to an otolaryngologist or a neurosurgeon.

Consider the following tips to help prepare for your doctor's appointment:

• Write down all your symptoms.
• Make a list of all your medications and supplements.
• Ask a friend or family member to come with you... Sometimes it's hard to remember all the information during a doctor's appointment.
• To get the most out of your visit, it's best to write down all your questions.

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The most important questions to ask your doctor are:

• What is the possible cause of my symptoms?
• Could there be another reason for my symptoms?
• What kind of tests should I do?
• What treatments are there for my problem?
• What method do you recommend for treatment?
• What are the possible side effects of your proposed treatment method?
• What will happen if I do not treat?

The doctor will also ask you questions that you should be ready to answer.. These questions can include the following:

• When did you first experience these symptoms?
• Are your symptoms permanent or do they occur from time to time?
• How severe are your symptoms?
• Does anyone in your family suffer from acoustic neuroma?
• How much is your hearing affected?
• Do you currently suffer from headaches or have you ever had them?

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The cause of acoustic neuroma

Sometimes the cause of this disease can be related to a problem in one of the genes of chromosome 22. This gene produces a protein that is involved in controlling the growth of Schwann cells (cells that cover the nerves). Neurofibromatosis type 2 usually involves tumor growth in the nerves of hearing and balance on both sides of the head.

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Acoustic neuroma risk factors

The only known risk factor for acoustic neuroma is having a parent with the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis type 2. However, this condition is very rare and accounts for only 2% of acoustic neuroma cases.

The distinctive feature of neurofibromatosis type 2 is the formation of non-cancerous tumors on the balance nerves on both sides of the head. Of course, tumors may also develop on other nerves.

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Nurofibromatosis type 2 is known as an autosomal dominant disorder, which means that the gene for it can be passed from only one parent to the child... The probability of inheriting this disease in each child is 50%.

Other aggravating factors for acoustic neuroma tumors include head and neck exposure to low-dose radiation during childhood...

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Complications of acoustic neuroma

A tumor of the auditory nerve can lead to permanent complications, including:

• Hearing loss
Facial numbness and weakness
• Inventory problems
• Ringing in the ears

Large tumors may press on the brain stem and block the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid between the brain and spinal cord. In this condition, fluid collects in your head, causing a condition called hydrocephalus, which increases the pressure inside the skull.

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Acoustic neuroma diagnosis method

Since the symptoms of acoustic neuroma often develop gradually, and symptoms such as hearing loss can also indicate inner or middle ear problems, it is difficult to diagnose the tumor in the early stages.

After asking questions about the symptoms of the disease, the doctor begins the ear examination.. He may also recommend the following tests:

• Hearing test (audiometry): During this test, sound with different tones is directed to one ear and the audiologist asks you to declare whether you heard it or not.. In addition, the audiologist may say different words to measure your hearing.
• Imaging Tests: MRI can detect tumors as small as 1 to 2 milliliters in diameter.... If an MRI is not available or cannot be performed, a CT scan is used.... However, a CT scan may not be able to detect small tumors.

Treatment of acoustic neuroma

Depending on the size and speed of tumor growth and the severity of your symptoms, the treatment of this disease can be different. The most common treatment methods are:

1... monitoring and follow-up

If you are not experiencing severe symptoms or have a small tumor that is not growing or is growing slowly, you may only need monitoring and follow-up.. It is also a good option for the elderly or those who cannot undergo invasive treatments.

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During the time you are being monitored, you will need audiometry and imaging tests every 6 to 12 months to determine how fast the tumor is growing. If your symptoms get worse or these tests show that the tumor is growing, you may need surgery or radiation therapy.

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2.... Surgery

If the tumor continues to grow or cause symptoms, you may need to undergo surgery....There are different techniques for acoustic neuroma tumor surgery that your doctor chooses based on the size of the tumor, your hearing status, and other factors.

The goal of surgery is to remove the tumor and preserve the facial nerve to prevent paralysis of the facial muscles.... sometimes it may not be possible to remove the entire tumor... For example, if the tumor is near important parts of the brain or facial nerve, only a part of it is removed.

If the auditory, balance, or facial nerves are irritated or damaged during surgery, removing the tumor will make symptoms worse... As a result, you may lose hearing on the side where the surgery was performed... Balance is also usually temporarily affected.

Complications of acoustic neuroma surgery include the following:

• leakage of cerebrospinal fluid through wound
• Hearing loss
• Facial weakness
• Facial numbness
• Ringing in the ears
• Inventory problems
• Persistent headache
• Cerebrospinal fluid infection or meningitis (rarely)
• Cerebral stroke or cerebral hemorrhage (rarely)

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3... radiation therapy

There are different types of radiation therapy for the treatment of acoustic neuroma, which include:

Stereotactic radiosurgery

Stereotactic radiosurgery is usually performed when the size of the tumor is small and less than 2.5 cm. In addition, the use of this type of radiation therapy is recommended for the elderly and those who cannot tolerate surgery.

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The goal of stereotactic radiosurgery is to stop tumor growth, preserve facial nerve function, and possibly preserve hearing. However, it may take weeks, months, or years to see the effects. Your doctor can monitor your progress with imaging and audiometry tests.

Among the dangers of radiosurgery, the following can be mentioned:

• Hearing loss
• Ringing in the ears
• Facial weakness or numbness
• Inventory problems
• Continuation of tumor growth

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Flat stereotactic radiotherapy

In fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT), a small dose of radiation is delivered to the tumor in several sessions.. SRT helps to slow tumor growth without damaging the surrounding tissues.

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Radiotherapy (proton therapy)

In this type of radiation therapy, instead of X-rays, proton rays are used. Proton rays are sent to the damaged area with targeted doses to treat the tumor. The advantage of this method is that it causes very little damage to the nearby cells.

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Endword

If you experience the symptoms of acoustic neuroma, see a doctor as soon as possible... Early diagnosis of this disease helps to prevent tumor enlargement and hearing loss.

For a consultation with an otolaryngologist, you can go through the website GCORP LLC... In GCORP LLC, in addition to the face-to-face appointment system, online consultation with an otolaryngologist is also available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Source: mayoclinic