An acoustic neuroma is a slow growing, non-cancerous tumor that develops on the nerve traveling from the inner ear to the brain.
Symptoms can include loss of hearing, a ringing sensation in the ear, loss of balance, and facial numbness. Symptoms may worsen as the tumor grows, but tumor size does not necessarily indicate severity of symptoms – small tumors can cause serious symptoms.
Treatment for an acoustic neuroma includes radiosurgery (using radiation to the tumor without making an incision), or complete surgical removal of the tumor.
While very rare, larger tumors can cause pressure on the brainstem, putting the brain at risk for damage. Because of this, it is important to see a medical hearing specialist like those at Arizona Hearing and Balance Center for hearing issues. Instead of merely covering up hearing loss with a hearing aid, the team will work to find out the cause of your hearing loss.