Vestibular schwannoma
Outlookfor acoustic neuromas
Large acoustic neuromas can be serious because they can sometimes causea life-threatening build-up of fluid in the brain (hydrocephalus).
However, it's rare for them to reach this stage. Many grow very slowly or not at all,andthose thatgrow more quickly can be treated before they become too big.
Even with treatment,symptoms such as hearing loss and tinnitus can persist and affectyourability to work, communicate and/or drive. These problems may need additional treatment read more about treating hearing lossand treating tinnitus.
An acoustic neuroma canoccasionally return after treatment. This is thought to happento around 1 in every 20 people who have had surgical removal.
You will probably continue havingregular MRI scans after any treatment, to checkifthe tumour is growing againor coming back.
Information about you
If you have an acoustic neuroma, your clinical team will pass information about you on to the National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Diseases Registration Service (NCARDRS).
This helps scientists look for better ways to prevent and treat this condition. You can opt out of the register at any time.
Find out more about the register.
The 100,000 Genomes Project
If your doctor thinks there could be a genetic cause for your acoustic neuroma, you may be invited to take part in the 100,000 Genomes Project.
Your DNA will be studied to find out more about the cause of your condition. The aim is to create a new personalised medicine service for the NHS. This should transform the way people are cared for.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
An acoustic neuroma is a type of non-cancerous (benign) brain tumour. Find out about the symptoms, treatments and outlook for this condition.
Symptomsof an acoustic neuroma
An acoustic neuroma may not cause any obvious symptoms at first.Any symptoms tend to develop gradually and often include: hearing loss, which usually only affects one ear tinnitus(hearing sounds that
Gettingmedical advice
See your GP if you have persistent or troublesome symptoms that you're worriedcould be caused by an acoustic neuroma.Acoustic neuromas can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be caused b
Treatmentsfor acoustic neuromas
There are several different treatment options for an acoustic neuroma, depending on the size and position of your tumour, how fast it's growing and your general health.The main options are: monitoring
Outlookfor acoustic neuromas
Large acoustic neuromas can be serious because they can sometimes causea life-threatening build-up of fluid in the brain (hydrocephalus).However, it's rare for them to reach this stage. Many grow very
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