An acoustic neuroma is a benign (non-cancerous) growth that comes up on the eighth cranial nerve leading from your brain to your inner ear. This nerve has two distinct parts. One part is associated with sending balance information to your brain from your inner ear, and the other with transmitting sound.

Your eighth cranial nerve lies adjacent to your seventh or facial cranial nerve as they pass through a bony canal called the internal auditory canal. This canal is approximately 2 cm (0.8 inches) long. This is where acoustic neuromas usually originate from the sheath surrounding the eighth nerve. The seventh or facial nerve provides motion to your muscles of facial expression.

Acoustic neuromas usually grow slowly over a period of years. They expand in size where they begin. They can displace normal brain tissue when they grow large. Your brain is not invaded by the tumor, as would be the case in a malignant tumor, but the tumor pushes your brain as it grows.

Acoustic neuroma is also known by other names. It is called acoustic neurilemoma, acoustic neurinoma, auditory tumor and vestibular schwannoma.

Approximately 3,000 cases of acoustic neuroma are diagnosed each year in the United States. Most of the people who are diagnosed with this condition are between 30 and 60 years of age.

Acoustic neuroma is more likely to affect you as the tumor grows and pushes against your brain. Some of the affects it can have on you are:

• Dizziness (vertigo)
• Gradual hearing loss, although in some cases it can be sudden and happening only on one side or more pronounced on one side
• Facial weakness and numbness
• Headache
• Mental confusion
• Loss of balance.

The acoustic neuroma may also press on your brainstem. In rare cases, the tumor may grow large enough to compress your brainstem and be life-threatening.

There can be serious complications with an acoustic neuroma that may prevent you from working. Some of these debilitating affects are:

• Clumsy gait and difficulties with balance
• Permanent hearing loss
• Facial weakness and numbness.

As you can see, the effects produced by an acoustic neuroma may qualify you to receive Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits. The wise disability attorney at socialsecurityhome.com is the one who can best advise you about this.

Have you applied for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits from the Social Security Administration because of the disability caused by an acoustic neuroma and been denied? Are you trying to decide what to do now?

If you plan on appealing the denial by the Social Security Administration, you may need an advocate like a disability attorney that you can find at socialsecurityhome.com to help you in this process. This is true because people who are represented by a disability attorney are approved more often than those people who do not have a lawyer.

Do not wait. Do not delay. Contact the disability attorney at socialsecurityhome.com, today.