INFORMATION ON ACOUSTIC NEUROMA:-

An acoustic neuroma may be defined as a type of benign (non cancerous) brain tumor which grows in the middle ear. Acoustic neuroma is one of the most common types of benign brain tumors, and causes hearing loss.

The auditory nerve which connects the inner ear to the brain is responsible for sending information about hearing and maintains balance to the brain. The nerve normally is covered in layers with specialized cells called Schwann cells. When acoustic neuroma develops, the Schwann cells that surround the auditory nerve grow too rapidly. If an acoustic neuroma is not diagnosed earlier or treated effectively then, it can grow through the skull bones that make up the middle ear and press on important structures in the brain. This problem sometimes is also known as acoustic or vestibular schwannoma.

CAUSES OF ACOUSTIC NEUROMA:-

The exact cause of acoustic neuroma is not known yet. But tumors often associated with neurofibromatosis 2, an inherited disorder characterized by tumors of the cranial and spinal nerves.

SYMPTOMS OF ACOUSTIC NEUROMA:-

The earliest and most common symptoms of an acoustic neuroma are:-

1. Loss of hearing in one ear.
2. Tinnitus (a ringing, buzzing or noisy sound in the ear that may distort normal hearing).
3. Dizziness
4. Loss of balance or clumsiness
5. Facial weakness
6. Facial pain
7. Headache
8. Mental confusion.

DIAGNOSIS OF ACOUSTIC NEUROMA:-

The diagnosis of acoustic neuroma involves physical examination of subject carried out by doctor in which he:-

1. Looks into subject’s ears with a lighted magnifying lens.
2. Use tuning forks to test subject’s hearing.
3. Examine subject’s nose, throat and neck.
4. Examine the nerves in your face.
5. Check subject’s balance.


Beside these physical examination various clinical procedure are available for confirmation of acoustic neuroma, these are:-

1. Audiogram test.
2. MRI.
3. CT scan.
4. Electronystagmography, for testing equilibrium and balance.
5. Brain stem auditory evoked response (BAER), a test of hearing and brain stem function.

TREATMENT OF ACOUSTIC NEUROMA:-

Generally subjects with acoustic neuroma are treated with surgical procedure. The aim of surgery is to remove the tumor completely. Surgical procedure also used to preserve hearing and avoid damage to surrounding brain structures. Very rarely, some of the tumor must be left behind, or hearing must be sacrificed.

Some of the subjects may not want surgery, or surgery may be very risky. In these exceptional cases radiation therapy may be a good alternative. Radiation therapy will not remove acoustic neuroma completely, but may shrink the tumor and prevent further growth or the need for surgery.