10 Frequent Symptoms of Schwannoma

2. Numbness

Numbness can occur when a schwannoma presses on a nerve that carries feeling, which blocks normal signals between the nerve and your brain. As a result, part of your body may feel dull or less sensitive. Facial numbness is common when the tumor grows near nerves in the head, and this causes reduced sensation in your cheek, jaw, or around your ear.

Some people report a feeling of fullness or mild aching near the affected area. If the tumor forms along a spinal or peripheral nerve, numbness can affect your arms, hands, legs, or feet. You may struggle to sense light touch, heat, or cold, and this change often starts slowly and may spread as the tumor grows.

Numbness may come with tingling, often described as pins and needles. In some cases, you may not notice minor cuts or injuries right away because the area feels less sensitive. These symptoms depend on the tumor’s size and exact location, with small tumors causing mild changes. Large tumors can lead to more noticeable loss of feeling.

3. Nocturnal Back Pain

Back pain often becomes more noticeable at night when you lie down, as the quiet and lack of movement make the discomfort feel stronger. If a schwannoma grows near the spine, it can press on nearby nerves and cause ongoing pain.

This pain usually feels deep and steady, and may wake you from sleep or make it hard to find a comfortable position. Unlike muscle strain, the pain does not improve much with simple rest. Schwannomas can form along spinal nerves in the lower back, mid back, or neck. When the tumor presses on a nerve, you may also feel tingling, numbness, or mild weakness in your arms or legs, depending on where the growth sits along your spine.

You might try changing positions often during the night. Some people sleep better in a reclined or side-lying position. If the tumor grows, the pressure on the nerve can make nighttime pain more frequent and harder to ignore.

4. Burning Pain

A schwannoma pressing on a nerve can cause burning pain that feels sharp, hot, or electric. The pain may stay in one spot or travel along the path of the nerve. The discomfort may come and go at first, but it can become more steady as the tumor grows. Even a small tumor can cause strong discomfort if it affects a sensitive nerve.

Burning pain often affects the arms, legs, or face, depending on where the tumor forms. For example, a tumor near your spine may cause burning that moves down your arm or leg; a tumor near facial nerves may cause burning or stabbing pain in your cheek or jaw.

You might also notice tingling or numbness along with the burning feeling. Light touch or mild pressure can make the pain worse, and simple tasks, such as walking or turning your head, may increase discomfort. Treatments may include anti-inflammatory drugs, anticonvulsants, certain antidepressants, or nerve pain relievers to help control symptoms.

5. Hearing Problems

Schwannomas growing on nerves linked to the ear, especially vestibular schwannomas, can cause hearing problems. Hearing loss is usually the first sign and often affects only one ear. You may find it harder to follow conversations on that side or need to turn your head to hear better.

In many cases, the hearing loss develops slowly, and you might not notice it at first. Some people lose only part of their hearing, while others may lose most or all hearing in the affected ear. You may also hear sounds that are not coming from outside your body, known as tinnitus. It can sound like ringing, buzzing, or hissing in one ear.

The noise may come and go, or it may stay most of the time. Common hearing-related changes also include sudden hearing shifts in rare cases and greater difficulty understanding speech in noisy places. As the tumor grows, hearing problems can become more noticeable.

6. Loss of Coordination

Trouble with balance and steady movement can occur when a schwannoma presses on certain nerves, especially those that control hearing and balance. You may feel unsteady even when standing still. Loss of coordination can affect how you walk, causing you to sway, stumble, or need to hold onto walls or furniture.

Some people describe a spinning feeling, which can make simple tasks harder. Other changes can include clumsiness with hand movements, dropping objects more often, feeling off balance in the dark, and nausea linked to movement. If the tumor becomes larger, it can press on nearby parts of the brain that control movement, leading to poor control of your arms or legs on one side of the body.

You might also notice slower reactions or awkward steps. Loss of coordination can raise your risk of falls, and you may avoid stairs or uneven ground because you feel unsure of your footing. Changes often develop slowly, so you might not notice them at first.

7. Balance Problems

Balance problems can develop if a schwannoma affects the nerve that helps control hearing and movement, often growing on the vestibular nerve, which connects your inner ear to your brain. When this nerve does not work well, your body has trouble knowing where you are in space.

Balance problems often start slowly. You might feel unsteady when you walk or turn your head. Some people feel like the room is spinning, a feeling known as vertigo. Other balance-related changes include swaying or drifting to one side, needing support while standing, and difficulty walking in a straight line.

You may also notice that quick movements make symptoms worse. Getting up too fast or turning quickly can increase the sense of motion. Balance issues can affect daily tasks, which makes you feel less confident walking in crowded places or on uneven ground.

8. Ringing in Ears

Ringing in your ears, or tinnitus, is a common symptom of schwannoma. You may hear a ringing, buzzing, hissing, or humming sound that does not come from outside your body. This symptom often affects only one ear and may start off mild and come and go, but can become more constant over time.

Schwannomas often grow on nerves that control hearing and balance. When the tumor presses on the hearing nerve, it can change how sound signals travel to your brain, which causes your brain to create a false sound that you hear as ringing.

You might notice tinnitus more in quiet places. It can interfere with sleep, focus, and daily tasks. Some people also feel stress or irritation because the sound does not stop. Ringing in the ears often appears along with hearing loss in one ear, a feeling of fullness in the ear, or balance problems. If the ringing continues or worsens, it may signal that the tumor is growing.

9. A Painless Lump or Swelling

You may first notice a small lump under your skin that does not hurt, which often grows slowly over time. Many people ignore it at first because it feels harmless. A schwannoma is usually a benign tumor that grows from the cells that cover your nerves. Because it grows on the nerve sheath, it can form a firm, smooth swelling.

You might feel it in your arm, leg, neck, or along another nerve path in your body. In many cases, the lump moves slightly when you press on it and may feel round or oval. The skin over it often looks normal. You may not feel pain in the early stages, but as the lump grows, it can press on nearby nerves, later causing tingling, numbness, or weakness in the area.

Some schwannomas form deeper inside the body, where you cannot see or feel them. In these cases, imaging tests such as MRI scans often detect them. If the tumor develops near the hearing and balance nerve, you may not notice a lump but may have other symptoms instead.

10. Tingling Sensations

Tingling or a “pins and needles” sensation can occur when a schwannoma presses on a nerve. The feeling often starts slowly and may come and go. Tingling depends on the tumor’s location and can affect areas such as the fingers, hand, foot, toes, or face.

Schwannomas grow from Schwann cells, which form the covering around nerves. As the tumor enlarges, it can irritate or squeeze the nerve and disrupt normal signals between your brain and the affected area. You may notice that tingling worsens when you move in certain ways or press on the area. It can also happen along with numbness or mild burning pain.

Tingling linked to schwannoma may feel like a prickling or crawling sensation on the skin. It can be intermittent or constant, often limited to one side of the body, and may gradually increase over time.