Benign nerve tumors

What types of benign nerve tumors are there?

By far the most common form of nerve tumor is schwannoma (also known as neurinoma), which originates from the cells of the nerve sheath. This tumor often occurs in isolation, but can also be found in several places in the body as part of a genetic predisposition. Schwannomas can practically always be peeled out of a nerve without any lasting symptoms.

In contrast to schwannomas, neurofibromas are more strongly connected to the core substance of nerves. Surgical removal of this type of tumor is associated with a higher risk of nerve loss. These tumors are often found as part of the syndromic disease neurofibromatosis of Recklinghausen.

What are the typical symptoms of nerve tumors?

Benign nerve tumors can grow for a long time without symptoms and usually cause discomfort by displacing the normal nerve structure. This can lead to localized pain or pain shooting into the nerve. It is extremely rare for nerve function to be severely impaired by benign nerve tumors, resulting in loss of sensation and paralysis.