Acoustic neuroma is a disease that is uncommon, noncancerous (this means that this disease not spread to other parts of the body) and usually slow-growing tumor that is developing on the main nerve which is leading from your inner ear to your brain. This nerve is known as vestibular cochlear nerve. Branches of the nerves are having influence on your hearing and balance. If you have acoustic neuroma, then you have ringing in your ears, to lose your hearing and unsteadiness. This disease in some cases can grow slowly or not at all.
But there are also cases when acoustic neuroma grows fast and is becoming large enough to press against the brain and to damage the vital functions of the brain. Treatments for it are including radiation, monitoring and in some case you should do surgical removal.
- Ringing or tinnitus in the ears
- Dizziness which is also known as vertigo
- In some cases there can be weakness
- Facial numbness
- Lose your hearing (mostly this occurs on one side)
- In some cases this disease can grow large enough to compress the brain stream and to complicate your life
When to see doctor? If you have some of the signs and symptoms which we gave you above, then you must visit your doctor. If you lose your hearing in one ear, you feel ringing in your ears or you have difficulties with your balance, then you must visit your doctor. You should visit your doctor when you feel some of these symptoms. When the acoustic neuroma is diagnosed in its early stage it is better for your health. You will be safe from more serious health conditions.
Causes: Malfunctioning gene on chromosome 22 is reason for appearing acoustic neuroma. This gene is producing a protein which is helping to control the growth of Schwann cells which are covering the nerves. Is not clear why this gene is malfunctioning and there also not known risk factors for getting this disease. But in many medical studies is shown that the faulty gene is inherited in neurofibromatosis type 2 which is rare disorder that usually involve the growth of tumors on balance nerves on the both sides of your head.
Risk factors: The only known reason for having acoustic neuroma is to have a parent who is suffering from neurofibromatosis type 2, but this is happening in a few cases. The most known sign that you are having neurofibromatosis type 2 is that you are having benign tumors on the balance nerves on the both sides of your head and also this disease can happen on other nerves. This disease is known as autosomal dominant disorder. The meaning of this name is that this disease can be transmitted just by one parent (from the parent with dominant gene). Parents which are suffering from neurofibromatosis type 2 are having 50-50 chances to have child with this disease. Some medical experts are also saying that the children which had childhood exposure to lose dose radiation of the neck and head are having chances to get acoustic neuroma.
Complications: This disease can cause the next complications in your life:
- Ringing in the ear
- Hearing loss
- Difficulties with balance
- Facial numbness
If you are having tumor which has large size, then this could be reason for preventing the normal flow of fluid between your spinal cord and brain. If you are having this case, then the fluid can build up in your head and it will increase the pressure inside of your skull.
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