Understanding Vestibular Schwannoma Recovery: Treatment & Outlook

A tumor in your inner ear is referred to as an acoustic neuroma or vestibular schwannoma. Thankfully, this type of tumor is noncancerous. Nevertheless, your recovery from a vestibular tumor depends on your treatment.

Identification

• Typically, the tumor slowly starts at your eighth cranial nerve which is located between your brain and your inner ear.

Symptoms

• You can experience intense ringing in your ears, imbalance, facial paralysis or hearing loss. You may also feel dizzy.

Time Frame

• Surgery to remove the tumor usually takes longer than six weeks to recover from. You spend four to six days in the hospital, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, recovery from stereotactic radiosurgery, which distributes radiation to your tumor, varies. Your tumor can take weeks or months to disappear.

Significance

• During your recovery you may experience a variety of side effects. These side effects include facial weakness or numbness and deafness on the side where you had your tumor.

Considerations

• These side effects are temporary and occur between 6 to 18 months after your treatment, according to the Acoustic Neuroma Association (ANA).