Course Description:

Acoustic neuromas, also known as vestibular schwannomas, are benign, slow-growing tumors composed of Schwann cells, and are located around the superior or inferior vestibular nerve. A patient with an acoustic neuroma usually presents with gradual onset of sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, and unsteadiness/disequilibrium. Treatment typically involves surgery or, for patients who are not good candidates for surgery, observation or radiation. Physical therapy intervention is usually aimed at improving balance, gait, functional mobility, gaze stability, and facial muscle strength. Potential complications of an acoustic neuroma include hydrocephalus, brainstem compression, severing of the 8th cranial nerve during surgery, hearing loss, and facial paralysis.