Patient's question:
My ears have been unable to hear for several months now. There is a very small tumor growing on my auditory nerve, which has caused it to function abnormally. As a result, my ears cannot hear anything at all. This auditory nerve tumor has not yet been resolved. How is an auditory nerve tumor treated?Doctor's answer:
Acoustic neuroma, also known as a vestibular schwannoma, is a benign tumor that occurs on the auditory nerve, one of the 12 cranial nerves. Early symptoms include dizziness, hearing loss, and vertigo. Once an acoustic neuroma is definitively diagnosed, surgical treatment should be performed as early as possible to completely remove the tumor, which is the principle of treating this condition. Acoustic neuromas can be surgically treated by an otolaryngologist through the inner ear labyrinth, or by a neurosurgeon through craniotomy.