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Veterans Acoustic
Neuroma Network

Learn / Prepare

Understand the options.
Bring your own questions.

An acoustic neuroma, or vestibular schwannoma, is a usually slow-growing, noncancerous tumor near the hearing and balance nerves. Your specialist can explain what your scans and hearing tests mean for you.

General education only. No treatment is best for everyone, and a patient story cannot predict your outcome.

Source: NIDCD: vestibular schwannoma

Anatomy / Orientation

Where is an acoustic neuroma located?

A vestibular schwannoma typically begins on the vestibular—or balance—branch of cranial nerve VIII. The cochlear branch, which carries hearing signals, travels beside it through the narrow internal auditory canal. Hearing changes associated with these tumors do not have one proven explanation.

Medical illustration of an adult in side profile with the outer ear intact and a clean cutaway behind it revealing the temporal bone, inner ear, cranial nerves, brainstem, and a vestibular schwannoma.
The numbered markers correspond to the anatomy guide below. They identify nearby structures but do not show what is causing hearing loss in an individual case.Surgical cutaway: The outer ear remains in its normal position while the scalp and temporal bone are shown opened to reveal the deeper anatomy. This is an orientation diagram, not a literal operative field. The anatomy a surgeon sees depends on the approach; a translabyrinthine operation removes the labyrinth and does not preserve hearing in the operated ear.

  1. Cochlea — hearing organ

    The spiral-shaped part of the inner ear changes sound vibrations into signals the brain can interpret.

  2. Vestibular organs — balance

    The semicircular canals and related structures help detect movement and support balance.

  3. Cochlear branch — hearing

    Shown in teal. This branch carries hearing information from the cochlea toward the brain.

  4. Vestibular branch — balance

    Shown in gold. Vestibular schwannomas most often arise from this part of cranial nerve VIII.

  5. Facial nerve

    Shown in silver-gray. Cranial nerve VII passes through the same narrow area but remains a separate nerve.

  6. Internal auditory canal

    This bony passage carries the hearing, balance, and facial nerves between the inner ear and brain.

  7. Vestibular schwannoma

    Shown in coral. MRI identifies its actual side, size, location, and relationship to nearby structures.

  8. Brainstem region

    The nerves travel toward the brainstem. Larger tumors may extend into the nearby cerebellopontine-angle space.

Sources: NIDCD overview, systematic review of proposed hearing-loss mechanisms, 2025 study of tumor-secreted inflammatory factors, and the University of Iowa surgical protocol.

Daily life / Practical support

Daily life with acoustic neuroma

Experiences vary. Use these pathways to find practical information for symptoms, communication, relationships, work or duty, and the uncertainty that can come with ongoing care.

Hearing and communication

Speech clarity, noisy rooms, sound direction, devices, and communication strategies.

Explore hearing support

Tinnitus

Ringing or other sounds that may affect sleep, concentration, and stress.

Explore tinnitus support

Balance and dizziness

Unsteadiness, motion sensitivity, safety planning, and vestibular rehabilitation.

Explore balance support

Fatigue and concentration

Hearing effort, poor sleep, stress, headaches, and the mental load of adapting.

Explore fatigue support

Work and duty

Describe the affected tasks and plan for appointments, travel, recovery, and accommodations.

Plan for work or duty

Emotional health

Fear, sadness, isolation, information overload, and ways to ask for support.

Explore emotional support

Family and caregiver support

Communication, appointments, practical planning, and support without assumptions.

Open the family guide

Appointments and uncertainty

Organize records, prepare questions, and identify the next step with your care team.

Open the diagnosis roadmap

Symptoms such as hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, headaches, fatigue, or concentration changes can have causes other than acoustic neuroma. A clinician must assess new or changing symptoms.

MONITOR

Observation

For some small tumors without growth, a clinician may recommend follow-up MRI scans to monitor for change.

Ask: What follow-up schedule should I use, and what changes would lead us to reconsider treatment?

CONTROL GROWTH

Radiation

Focused radiation, sometimes called radiosurgery, can be used to limit tumor growth. It does not involve a surgical incision.

Ask: What are the expected benefits, hearing risks, and follow-up needs in my case?

REMOVE

Surgery

Surgery removes tumor tissue. The approach depends on factors such as tumor size and hearing. Hearing, balance, and facial nerves can be affected.

Ask: Why this approach, and what might recovery involve for me?

Prepare for your next appointment

This checklist is for your own preparation. Ticks are temporary and are not submitted or saved by this site. Use your browser’s print option for a paper copy.

Questions worth making space for

What does “benign” mean?

It means noncancerous. A tumor near hearing and balance nerves can still have important effects. Ask your clinician to explain your individual findings.

Can treatment affect hearing?

Yes. Discuss your current hearing and the hearing-related risks of each option with your specialist. Do not assume that controlling or removing the tumor will restore hearing.

How do I compare other people’s experiences?

Ask what their situation was and what questions helped them. Keep your own treatment decision with your clinical team; online stories are individual experiences, not comparative evidence.

Source: NIDCD: diagnosis and treatment overview