Acoustic neuromas, or also known as vestibular neuromas, is an abnormal growth that can occur in the inner ear

 

Initial symptoms may be tinnitus (ringing in the ears), hearing disturbances on both sides, and the growth typically slows down over time. Some studies have shown that up to fifty percent of acoustic neuromas have little or no growth over time, which is a pretty encouraging statistic!

 

There are several different types of this kind of non-cancerous tumour; the common ones include:

 

Other acoustic neuromas include:

 

Acoustic neuromas are particularly serious, because they cause hearing loss, dizziness, headaches, and sometimes loss of consciousness. Unfortunately, acoustic neuromas are not the only type of this condition.

 

Benign acoustic neuromas can grow in a variety of different parts of the ear. They tend to grow in the vestibulocochlear junctions or the cilia. If this is the case, they're most likely a result of ear wax accumulation or a buildup of mucus in the inner ear. Mucus accumulation is common in patients who suffer from otitis media or sinusitis.

 

Some patients have auditory nerve damage, which can cause a change in the function of this part of the brain. It's quite possible to develop a secondary acoustic neuroma after having had surgery. This is particularly the case with middle ear surgery.

 

Acoustic neuroma treatment is difficult because it is an abnormal growth, so there is no way for doctors to determine the exact cause of it. Surgery is often used for patients whose tumours don't seem to respond well to standard therapies. Surgery is not the only option, though, in some cases the vestibular apparatus or the cilia can be removed and the hearing affected person treated with hearing aids.

 

Acoustic neuromas can occur in any part of the body, although the risk is higher in men and women. In addition, it is common to see them more commonly among those who are overweight. Some people may be genetically predisposed to it, which means they may become more likely to develop this type of cancer, but there is no way of determining this.

 

Acoustic neuromas can cause significant hearing loss and this can lead to a need for hearing aids. Hearing aids can help some people hear normally again, while others may have problems with their hearing loss still. This is where the use of a cochlear implant can come into play, as it will allow the person suffering from acoustic neuroma to hear normally.

 

Sometimes, when an acoustic neuroma is very early, the only acoustic neuroma treatment required is surgery to remove the affected cells. This is called surgical excision. This procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis or can take longer if the tumour is extremely large. or if it's affecting an important part of the inner ear.

 

Surgical excision is usually recommended if the tumour is causing problems with breathing, or if it obstructs the airway. It can also be done if the person is experiencing pain in one ear, such as ringing in the ear or buzzing. Although surgery to remove the fibroids from this area is rarely recommended, it is very effective if they're small and causing little pain.

 

Surgery is usually the best treatment for tumours that are found inside the ear

 

This is because it's much easier and safer for the surgeon to reach and remove them. However, if the surgeon is unable to perform the surgery, there are other non-invasive ways of dealing with them.

 

Non-surgical treatments include: wearing a hearing aid, or using a cochlear implant. However, sometimes the tumour grows and presses against the ear drum and cannot be treated with surgery. In these cases, there are other options, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

 

Before any treatment to remove an acoustic neuroma is carried out, you should first find out about your individual case and the type of treatment that is best for you. For example, if you have been diagnosed with a rare type of acoustic neuroma, chemotherapy might not be the right choice. Instead, your doctor will carry out tests, such as x-rays, to determine the type of cancer that you have and then decide whether surgery is the best treatment for you.

 

Acoustic neuroma surgery is done to remove the cancerous cells that are in the inner ear, as well as surrounding tissue. This includes bones, tissues, and the brain.

 

Once this is complete, the surgeon places an electrode into the area of the ear where the acoustic neuroma has been found and removes the infected tissue with an electric current. The electrodes are placed at the top of the ear and will give the patient an electric shock if there are no additional areas to treat the acoustic neuroma.