Condition · 2 treatment paths
Acoustic Neuroma (Vestibular Schwannoma)
An acoustic neuroma, or vestibular schwannoma, is a slow-growing benign tumour on the nerve that links the inner ear to the brain. It is usually found in adults between 40 and 60.
Send your imaging + plan. Board-reviewed opinion in 5–10 working days.
- Treatment paths
- 2Treatment paths
- Specialties
- 2Specialties
- Typical severity
- ModerateTypical severity
About acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma)
What to know
It typically causes hearing loss in one ear, tinnitus and unsteadiness, and larger tumours can affect facial sensation or press on the brainstem. Diagnosis is by audiometry and MRI of the internal auditory canals with contrast. Many tumours grow very slowly or not at all, so growth is judged on repeat scans.
Small tumours with little growth can be watched with regular MRI. If a tumour grows or causes symptoms, treatment is stereotactic radiosurgery, which aims to stop growth, or microsurgical removal, which is usually chosen for larger tumours. The aim of both is tumour control while protecting the facial nerve and hearing where possible. Abroad, people usually seek high-volume skull base centres.
Pre-flight workup
Tests to have already done
- MRI of the internal auditory canals with contrast, including the actual scan images and not just the report.
- Recent pure-tone and speech audiogram, since hearing level strongly influences the choice of treatment.
- Previous MRI scans for comparison, showing whether and how fast the tumour has grown.
- Notes on facial nerve function, balance symptoms and any dizziness assessment.
- Details of any prior radiosurgery or surgery, including the radiation dose delivered.
Second opinion
When to get a second look
- You are advised to have immediate surgery for a small tumour that has not been shown to grow.
- You still have useful hearing and want to compare hearing-preservation chances between radiosurgery and surgery.
- The tumour is large and presses on the brainstem, where surgical approach and team experience matter greatly.
- The tumour has grown after previous radiosurgery or partial removal.
Talking to your doctor
Questions to ask
- What is the tumour size, and has it grown on serial scans?
- Is watchful waiting reasonable for me, and how often would scans be needed?
- What are my chances of keeping hearing and facial nerve function with radiosurgery compared with surgery?
- How many of these tumours does your team treat each year?
- What are the risks of balance problems or headaches after each approach?
- Could the tumour be related to neurofibromatosis type 2, and should I be tested?
Outlook
Realistic prognosis
Acoustic neuromas are benign and often grow very slowly or not at all, so many small tumours are safely watched. Radiosurgery controls growth in the large majority of cases, and surgery can remove the tumour completely. Hearing in the affected ear often declines whatever is chosen. Facial nerve outcome depends mainly on tumour size and surgical experience.
01 · Specialties
Specialties that treat Acoustic
Diagnostic workup
Before you pick a hospital, get the workup right
Picking the right treatment is downstream of a complete diagnosis. Skip steps here and the destination surgeon usually re-orders them anyway — at higher cost and another week on the ground.
- Confirm the diagnosis on imaging or labs
For acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma), plan on the workup your home doctor would order anyway — typically a recent specialist consult plus the imaging / labs the destination team will need to quote accurately. Anything older than 90 days usually gets re-done.
- See a oncology specialist locally first
An in-person clinical exam at home — even a single consult — costs little and dramatically improves the destination plan. Bring back: written impression, recommended procedure, surgical-risk class, and any contra-indications.
- Send us the file for a free second opinion
Two surgeons in our medical panel review the workup independently. They tell you whether they'd operate, watch, or refer — even if that means recommending against travel.
- Pick a path with timeline + cost in writing
Once a treatment is the right call, we line up 2–3 hospital options with itemized quotes, surgeon profiles, and a travel timeline. You hold the file — switch hospitals or step away at any point.
Where to be treated
Acoustic Neuroma (Vestibular Schwannoma) treatment by destination
04 · FAQ
Common questions about acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma)
Does an acoustic neuroma always need treatment?
No. Small tumours that are not growing and cause few symptoms are often watched with repeat MRI scans. Treatment is advised when the tumour grows or causes significant symptoms.
Will I lose my hearing?
Hearing in the affected ear often declines over time, with or without treatment. Early treatment of small tumours gives the best chance of preserving useful hearing.
Can the tumour come back?
After complete surgical removal recurrence is uncommon. After radiosurgery the tumour usually stops growing, and follow-up MRI scans check that it remains controlled.
Clinical context
Working up acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) properly
A condition like acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) is rarely well-served by jumping straight to treatment shopping. The sequence below is what a oncology specialist would expect to see completed — and the absence of any step is the right cue to delay travel decisions.
Diagnostic workup, in sequence
- First-line clinical assessment
History, physical exam, and risk-factor review by a senior generalist or oncology specialist. Symptoms list, family history, prior workup notes, and current medication list should travel with the patient.
- Standard imaging + labs
Baseline blood work, condition-specific imaging (ultrasound / X-ray / MRI / CT — depending on indication), and ECG / pulmonary function as relevant. Bring digital copies of any prior imaging — saves repeat scans and the cost that goes with them.
- Specialist diagnostic workup
Procedure-specific tests — biopsy, cardiac catheterisation, endoscopy, or genetic / molecular profiling depending on the suspected diagnosis. Done at the centre that will treat, ideally, so results integrate cleanly into the treatment plan.
- Multidisciplinary review (where indicated)
Cancer, complex cardiac, transplant, and rare-disease cases should be reviewed by a multidisciplinary panel — surgical, medical, imaging, and pathology — before any treatment commits. Single-discipline plans for complex disease are a quality red flag.
When to escalate to specialist review
- New, persistent, or worsening symptoms beyond the usual pattern — particularly anything that disrupts work, sleep, or daily function for >2 weeks.
- Symptoms accompanied by red-flag features (unintentional weight loss, night sweats, bleeding, severe pain, neurological signs).
- Any "this feels different" instinct — especially with recurrent or chronic conditions where you know your baseline well.
- A second-opinion misalignment with your current care plan — when two qualified clinicians disagree, the case warrants a third review before committing.
Before you book international travel
- Confirm your specific diagnosis is fully worked up before you commit to a treatment plan abroad. Travelling for the workup is fine; travelling for treatment without the workup done is not.
- Get your case reviewed remotely by the destination centre's team before you book flights — credible international patient programs review imaging + reports before they confirm the surgical plan.
- Bring a digital + physical copy of your full medical record: imaging on USB drive in DICOM format, labs in PDF, current medication list with dosages, allergies, and any prior surgical reports.
- Plan for longer recovery + post-discharge therapy continuation before you fly — the surgery itself is rarely the bottleneck.
- Confirm that follow-up imaging and any necessary in-person reviews can be done at home — a treatment plan that requires repeat international trips is more burdensome (and more expensive) than the headline procedure.
Mbinu na viwango vya uhariri
This acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) overview is written by the editorial team from published Oncology sources and lists 2 treatment options offered by hospitals on our network. The page shows its last-updated date. Clinical descriptions are editorial — your treating clinician confirms what's right for your specific case.
- Taarifa za hospitali. Maelezo ya hospitali yanakusanywa kutoka vyanzo vya umma na tovuti za hospitali. Uidhinishaji (JCI, NABH na mengine) huonyeshwa pale tulipo na rekodi. Daima omba hospitali cheti chake cha sasa.
- Sifa za madaktari. Sifa, utaalamu na wasifu hutoka wasifu wa daktari hospitalini. Leseni hukaguliwa kwenye rejista ya baraza la kitaifa la madaktari tu pale wasifu unapoonyesha alama ya "Leseni imehakikiwa" yenye tarehe.
- Bei. Viwango vya bei ni vya kukadiria, vimekusanywa kutoka orodha za bei na vifurushi vya hospitali na huonyeshwa na tarehe ya mwisho ya kusasishwa. Unacholipa ni kile kilichoandikwa kwenye nukuu ya hospitali.
- Maandishi ya kitabibu. Imeandikwa na timu ya wahariri ya Medcasts kutoka vyanzo vya kliniki vilivyochapishwa. Isipokuwa ukurasa umetaja mhakiki kwa jina, haujakaguliwa na daktari.
- Uhuru. Hospitali haziwezi kulipa ili kubadilisha nafasi yao kwenye kurasa zetu.
Acoustic Neuroma (Vestibular Schwannoma)
Continue evaluating acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) care
Condition overview is one entry. These hubs route the same care decision via specialty, surgeon, treatment, and destination — including the doctors actively treating acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma).
- Surgeons Doctors treating Acoustic Neuroma (Vestibular Schwannoma) Volume-ranked specialists across all relevant specialties.
- Specialty Oncology hub Programs, surgeons, hospitals across oncology.
- Specialty Neurology & Neurosurgery Alternative specialty involved in care for this condition.
- Procedure Acoustic Neuroma Surgery First-line treatment with success rates, recovery, hospital pricing.
- Procedure Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS / Gamma Knife) Alternative treatment path with cost and recovery data.
- Browse All 79 conditions Map condition → specialty → first-line treatment.
- Browse 9 destination countries Cost-of-care profiles, hospital programs, visa playbooks.
- Compare Hospital comparison Side-by-side accreditations, ratings, beds, and pricing.
- Compare Doctor comparison Surgeons compared on volume, fees, languages, video-consult availability.
- Tool Match-me triage Three questions, get a specialty + destination + 3-hospital shortlist.
- Tool Cost calculator Hospital-reported pricing across procedures × destinations.
- Action Free second opinion Independent panel review of your case in 48 hours — no charge.
Hatua inayofuata · Acoustic Neuroma (Vestibular Schwannoma)
Free second opinion on your Acoustic case.
Share imaging and the current plan. Multidisciplinary board returns a written opinion within 5–10 working days — no obligation to travel.