Which of the following is not a typical presenting symptom of an acoustic neuroma?

• A. Sudden bilateral deafness.
• B. Progressive unilateral sensorineural hearing loss.
• C. Tinnitus.
• D. Dizziness.

Answer: (A)

Acoustic neuroma typically presents with unilateral, gradually progressive sensorineural hearing loss, often accompanied by tinnitus and dizziness as the tumor affects the vestibular portion of the eighth cranial nerve. Because the tumor arises on one side and grows slowly, sudden loss is not the usual pattern. Bilateral sudden deafness would suggest another, non-tumor-related inner-ear or systemic process, not a unilateral vestibular schwannoma. So describing sudden bilateral deafness as a presenting symptom is not consistent with how acoustic neuromas behave.