Recovering from acoustic neuroma surgery can be overwhelming, but there’s a lot of support available. My ear cleaning staten island visit after treatment helped more than I expected — I didn’t realize how much buildup can distort balance and hearing. The clinic was gentle and used irrigation instead of scraping. It really improved my comfort and clarity on the good side. Keep up regular care and follow-ups. Small steps really help over time.

I was diagnosed with a vestibular schwannoma in November of 2024. Size about 18x15mm. Besides tinnitus I have some hearing loss but no change in hearing from initial diagnosis. I have had one balance related episode. To preserve the hearing I have and avoid additional symptoms I am considering the rectosigmoid approach for treatment at Stanford by a team led by Dr Jauna Carlos Fernandez-Miranda. I do have opinions from two other facilities; those surgeons basically recommend a similar approach. I am very anxious about all this and would like to know if anyone has had experience with Stanford and Dr Fernandez-Miranda that they would be willing to share.

Thank you

Hello and welcome,

I was like you had a rather small tumor, hearing loss, tinnitus and a little older when it was discovered.  I stayed in the watch and wait for several years. When it grew a little I made the decision to treat it.  Not that my symptoms changed from the growth it was that I did not want further issues (balance).  These are all personal decisions and that was mine.  I could have stayed in the watch.  My ENT was fine with not doing anything.  However when I decided to treat it he is a surgeon hence the push for surgery.  After doing research I choose radiation as the best path for me.  (If you want the research please email me dan4att@gmail.com).

VS are interesting as the patient makes some of the major decision.  When to treat it.  How to treat it (surgery/radiation). The best advice I received from a Doctor in the research is, "No decision is bad, make the decision you are comfortable with and more forward, do not second guess yourself."

Good luck on your decision journey,
Dan

Hi
I am 54 YO now and was diagnosed with VS (6mmx8mmx5mm) in March 2024 with a hearing loss and tinnitus. Follow-up MRI  in Nov 2025, and size is (6mmx9mmx5mm), and again in Oct 2025, and size is (7mmx12mmx5mm).  My doctor says it is a baby size, but he is pushing to get treatment (mostly radiation). Not sure what to do.
My question is, if it's a baby size and grows slowly, then why to rush for the treatment?  Hearing is deteriorating, and tinnitus is not bothersome. I have another appointment for a second opinion in a month.

Can someone advise on a better approach?

Hello,  I don't know enough about your surgery/treatments to tell how much your nerves were damaged so I don't know if this is of help or not.  I had my surgery in 1992 and the my facial nerve was severed because that was where my tumor was. They told me it would take 6 months for the nerve to regenerate before I would see any movement, they were correct.  If your nerve was damaged but not severed I assume it wouldn't take so long for you to notice movement.  Good luck to both of you!  Jill Marie

The nerve was not cut, but it was affected during the surgery, although before the operation, my facial expressions were working normally, and now I have completed 10 months of the operation and I have not received any treatment only in the first week of the operation, and sometimes I take vitamin B12 and I began to be able to tighten the angle of the mouth and smile 2 or 3 millimeters, but a very small movement, as well as the eyelashes at the bottom, it seems to move 2 millimeters, although the upper eyelashes vibrate with healthy eyelashes, and the tears returned excellently as well as my lower lip became normal, my question to you, is, does my smile develop and close my eyes in the coming months