Constant Dizziness and Acoustic Neuroma

The Acoustic Neuroma Foundation (ANF) is worried about the quality of life of patients after treatment for acoustic neuroma. Many people seem to suffer chronic dizziness after surgery.

"I had an operation to remove an acoustic neuroma in 1982 and have had constant dizziness since." said one ANF member on the website www.AcousticNeuromaFoundation.org.

"I am one-year post-surgery. I find if I try to do too much I get extremely dizzy and nauseated for days. I was very active before surgery and can't seem to comprehend that I can't do things like I used to," said another ANF member.

ANF spokesman Mark O'Neil said many of their members are deeply disappointed about their recurring headaches and dizziness after surgery. "Constant headaches and dizziness are among the most common symptoms of people who were diagnosed with acoustic neuroma," said O'Neil, ANF spokesman. "It is disheartening that many patients still suffer the same ordeal with headaches and dizziness even after their surgery."

An acoustic neuroma is a benign brain tumor that initially grows deep inside the head from the balance nerve but often affects the hearing nerve as well.

"We do not have good enough studies about dizziness after acoustic neuroma treatments," says Dr. Bradley Hennnenfent, founder of the Acoustic Neuroma Foundation.

O'Neil said there are three basic treatment options for an acoustic neuroma, depending on the patient's age, health, tumor size and location. These are observation, microsurgical removal and radiation. Surgical treatment is done to help preserve hearing and to remove the tumor completely

"We urge doctors and medical researches to undertake a definitive study of the causes and treatment of dizziness after acoustic neuroma surgery," said O'Neil.

Aside from headaches, other complications that commonly occur in some patients are hearing loss, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), facial distortion and paralysis.