Acoustic Neuromas are nerve sheath tumors surrounding the vestibular or cochlear nerves. The vestibular nerve is the balance nerve that goes from the inner ear to the brain. The cochlear nerve is the hearing nerve that goes from the cochlea to the brain. When the tumor grows, it can press on the nerves as they travel through a boney canal to reach the brain. This is how the tumor can damage a person’s balance and hearing. Also in this boney canal is the facial nerve. Damage to the facial nerve can result in facial paralysis.
At Equinox Physical Therapy, we specialize in treating people who have balance problems or facial paralysis as a result of acoustic neuromas. The majority of these patients come to see me following surgery, or radiation to the tumor. A few months ago, I had the pleasure of speaking to the members of the Acoustic Neuroma Association in Sarasota, Florida. They had the idea to videotape the talk for the members who were unable to attend the meeting. They were so pleased with the video, that they asked me if they could post it on their national website. The title of the talk was “The Vestibular System and How it is Affected by Acoustic Neuroma”. If you would like to learn more about this topic, you too can watch the video below.
The Vestibular System and How It Is Affected by Acoustic Neuroma from Acoustic Neuroma Association on Vimeo.
Strangled by Growth, by Emily Carr 1931
