If you’ve just been diagnosed with Acoustic Neuroma, or are in the waiting phase, it’d still be good to have an exact understanding of what is going on with you. That includes knowing & understanding the exact nature of your illness, & the kind of treatments available for it.
For any kind of illness, there are both traditional as well as alternative treatments. That rings true for Acoustic Neuroma as well. In this article, we’ll look at some alternative, home remedies that are quite helpful in Acoustic Neuroma treatment.
What is Acoustic Neuroma?
An Acoustic Neuroma is a benign brain tumor that develops on or around the vestibulocochlear nerve, which is the cranial nerve responsible for carrying balance & signals to the brain. Owing to this reason, most cases of Vestibular Neuroma present with vertigo-like symptoms of dizziness, nausea, motion sickness, & others.
Acoustic Neuromas affect the body’s vestibular system & are characterized by sudden hearing loss, feeling of pressure inside the ear, sudden dizziness, unsteadiness, &/or a ringing sound in the ears, also called tinnitus. Acoustic Neuroma starts in the Schwann cells that cover the vestibular nerve. It can either grow very slowly or not grow at all during the time it exists in the patient’s body.
In some rare cases, an Acoustic Neuroma may grow quite rapidly & become uncontrollably large in size. In such a case, it may press on the brain & inhibit the vital functions of the other organs. Acoustic Neuroma treatment generally consists of three phases: regular monitoring, radiation therapy, & even surgical removal if the need arises.
Acoustic Neuroma symptoms:
In the initial phase, Acoustic Neuroma signs & symptoms can be difficult to detect. When symptoms do appear, they usually affect the patient’s hearing & balance. In certain cases, the tumor may put pressure on the nerves that control facial muscles and sensations called facial and trigeminal nerves, &/or other brain structures, leading to a problem of greater medical significance.
As the tumor grows in size, it starts to cause some significant symptoms. These include:
- Hearing loss, which is usually slow to occur & is more prominent in one of the ears. In certain cases, hearing loss can be quite quick.
- Ringing or tinnitus in one or both the ears,
- Feeling disoriented, unsteady, or a sense of loss of balance
- BPPV & other vertigo symptoms
- Facial numbness, which can rarely be accompanied by a loss of muscle movements & sensations
Acoustic neuromas are usually not malignant & do not pose any significant medical threats to the patient.
However, in certain rare cases, they can grow large enough in size that they are able to compress the brain stem, leading to severe symptoms & even death. Diagnosing the acoustic neuroma accurately & quickly is usually key to early acoustic neuroma treatment. Early detection of the tumor may also help treat its other significant symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, BPPV, & hearing loss.
Acoustic Neuroma Causes:
Acoustic Neuroma is usually caused by a malfunction of a gene on chromosome number 22. This gene produces a protein that regulates the growth of Schwann cells covering the vestibular nerve. However, when this gene malfunctions, it can lead to the cells multiplying rapidly, causing Acoustic Neuroma. The exact reason(s) that cause this gene to malfunction in the first place, is not yet known to the medical community.
Hence, there is usually no probable or immediate cause insight for an acoustic neuroma in most cases.
Some scientists have postulated that a person’s genetic makeup could have something to do with it. Another potential cause could be neurofibromatosis type 2, a rare disorder that causes tumors to grow on balance nerves on both the sides of your head, also termed bilateral vestibular schwannomas.
Are there any risk factors for Acoustic Neuroma:
The only medically confirmed risk factor for acoustic neuroma, so far, is having a parental gene affected with the rare genetic disorder discussed above, neurofibromatosis type 2. However, even in people with the above genetic abnormality, it is seen that only about 5% go on to develop acoustic neuroma later on in life.
Acoustic Neuroma diagnosis:
Acoustic Neuroma is often challenging to diagnose, especially in the initial stages as its symptoms can resemble those of many other conditions. The more common & significant symptoms of acoustic neuroma often develop only in an advanced stage, making it harder for doctors to accurately diagnose a patient.
Your doctor will likely take your medical history into account, & ask for a general overview of your symptoms, & draw a conclusion based on an ear examination plus other factors. Additionally, they may also give you the following tests to narrow down your diagnosis:
Hearing test, also known as audiometry: This test is conducted by a hearing specialist, also known as an audiologist. It involves directing sounds of varying tones & ranges to the ear, one at a time. As the sounds are played to you, the audiologist will ask you to report back every time you hear a certain sound. Each of the tones is then repeated at weaker levels to determine your range of hearing.
Imaging: Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, is often the gold standard of tests to diagnose tumors of all kinds, including Acoustic Neuroma. MRI is used to diagnose tumors as small as 1-2 millimeters in diameter. If your body can’t tolerate an MRI, your doctor may recommend you to undergo a CT scan. A CT scan, however, may miss tumors very small in size.
Acoustic Neuroma treatment:
Acoustic Neuroma treatment strategies depend on the exact size of your tumor, its location, the frequency of your symptoms, & your general medical history. Acoustic Neuroma treatment is usually divided into three categories; regular, watchful monitoring, surgery, & radiation therapy.
Monitoring
If your tumor is too small, is growing very slowly, or isn’t growing at all, your doctor may just choose to sit back & monitor your condition. This strategy is also used if your medical history makes other more aggressive treatment options unviable. In some cases, constant monitoring may even lead to the finding that your acoustic neuroma has shrunk naturally. In such a case, your doctor will continue to watch your condition while giving you additional Vertigo treatment for any vestibular symptoms you develop in the course of the treatment.
There are also certain ‘natural’ treatments for Acoustic Neuroma, that the patient can dabble in during this ‘waiting’ phase.
Some of these are listed below.
Boswellia Curcumin: Curcumin, which is the active ingredient of turmeric, has numerous anti-inflammatory & healthy properties. The combination of Boswellia & Curcumin is highly anti-inflammatory & has lots of good properties including:
- Inhibiting Leukotriene biosynthesis
- Inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase
- Inhibiting topoisomerase I
- Inhibiting topoisomerase II
- Inducing apoptosis in Glioma cells
- Inhibiting NF-Kappa B
Manjistha Capsules: This is a very effective medicine used in Acoustic Neuroma treatment. It contains extracts of the herb Manjistha, which is known for its anti-inflammatory & detoxification properties. Brahmi Capsule: Brahmi capsules are made using the extracts of Bacopa Monnier herbs, & are useful in Acoustic Neuroma treatment. They are also extensively used in the treatment of vertigo, dizziness, headaches, & nausea.
Acoustic Neuroma exercises: Certain Acoustic Neuroma exercises have also been known to effectively reduce the intensity & the severity of Acoustic Neuroma symptoms. To perform these exercises, you just need to follow the steps mentioned below:
#1: Stand with your feet close together, then turn your head to the right & to the left horizontally, while looking ahead at a set, predefined target. Make small head movements, try to avoid moving your head as far as it goes.
Do this for a minute without any breaks, then try again with your feet closer together.
#2: Rock your ankle back & forth without bending your hip on a flat surface for about 30 seconds. Repeat the exercises for another 30 seconds with your eyes closed.
#3: Try to rock your ankle back & forth on a compressible surface like a bed or a pillow without bending your hip for 30 seconds. Repeat for another 30 seconds with your eyes closed.
#4: Practice standing on one foot with your eyes closed. Remember to do this with your feet alternating.
All these medications & exercises are just some of the natural home remedies that your doctor might prescribe to cure Acoustic Neuroma.