Acoustic neuromas are usually benign tumors that grow along the balance nerves deep inside the skull. They usually occur somewhere between the inner ear and the brainstem and generally grow slowly over a period of years. Other symptoms may involve headaches, facial paralysis, vertigo, numbness of the eye and other nerve paralysis etc.
Acoustic neuromas cause problems by their growth in a space limited by the size of the skull.
The larger it gets, the less room your brain has to function. The average growth rate for most acoustic neuromas is relatively slow. However the patterns are very variable. Sometimes tumors that have remained quiet for many years suddenly awaken and expand. As they expand, the compression on the balance nerve, hearing nerve and facial nerve can occur.