What is an acoustic neuroma or vestibular schwannoma?
An acoustic neuroma is a benign tumour (NOT a cancer) that grows on a branch of the acoustic nerve (called the eighth cranial nerve). In most cases, the tumour grows on the vestibular (balance) branch of the eighth nerve (see below). For this reason, an acoustic neuroma is more correctly called a ‘vestibular schwannoma’ because it arises from schwann cells (types of nerve sheath cells) in the vestibular apparatus of the ear.
