WHAT IS AN ACOUSTIC NEUROMA?
An acoustic neuroma, or vestibular schwannoma, is a benign (non-cancerous) tumor in the brain.
It grows on the vestibulocochlear nerve, which helps control hearing and balance.
This nerve runs alongside the facial nerve, which carries information from the brain to the face muscles.
Acoustic neuromas tend to grow slowly and don't spread to other parts of the brain.
WHO IS AT RISK?
There is only one known risk factor - having a parent who carries the rare genetic disorder neurofibromatosis type 2.
However, that only accounts for 5 percent of cases.
For the rest, it's something of a lottery
SYMPTOMS:
The symptoms of an acoustic neuroma tend to develop gradually and can vary in severity. This can make the condition difficult to diagnose.
A small acoustic neuroma can lead to problems with hearing loss or tinnitus.
A large acoustic neuroma can cause a number of symptoms, including headaches and blurred vision, numbness and a problem with co-ordination on one side of the body.
Occasionally, large neuromas can also result in muscle weakness on one side of the face.
In rare cases, it may also cause changes to the voice or difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).
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