An acoustic neuroma is a tumor that forms from the covering of the eighth cranial nerve. This tumor is benign, is generally slow-growing and does not spread to other parts of the body.
What are the symptoms of acoustic neuroma?
The most common first symptom is hearing loss in the affected ear, which may often go unrecognized or mistaken as a normal aging-related development. As an acoustic neuroma enlarges, it may cause additional symptoms such as loss of balance, headache, unsteadiness, facial weakness, facial numbness and/or double vision.