What happens if you don’t operate on an acoustic neuroma?

Without surgery for acoustic neuroma, tumor enlargement may cause hearing loss with tinnitus, balance disorder, cerebellar symptoms, nerve involvement and other consequences, which may be life-threatening in serious cases. 1. Hearing loss with tinnitus: generally progressive hearing impairment with tinnitus; some patients show sudden hearing loss. If the tumor is not operated in time, it may cause complete hearing loss as the tumor continues to grow. 2. Balance disorder: if the tumor is not operated, vestibular dysfunction may occur, with symptoms of unsteady balance, dizziness and other discomforts. 3. Cerebellar symptoms: the enlargement of acoustic neuroma involving cerebellar dysfunction may lead to unsteady gait, ataxia and so on. 4. Damage to adjacent cerebral nerves: damage to trigeminal nerve may cause facial pain or hypesthesia; facial nerve paralysis, compression of posterior cerebral nerves: choking on drinking water, hoarseness, difficulty in swallowing. As the tumor increases in size it can cause increased intracranial pressure and even life-threatening brain hernia. Therefore, it is recommended to consult regular hospitals in time and standardized treatment by specialists when discovering acoustic neuroma.