Woman whose tingly face turned out to be brain tumor shares symptom that should have been a red flag
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: SWNS
A woman's 'tingly' and numb face turned out to be a brain tumor after it was revealed by an MRI for an unrelated back problem.
Amy Seager, 38, experienced numbness and tingling on the left-side of her face.
It wasn’t until she had an MRI scan for an unrelated back problem in March 2025 that she was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma – a non-cancerous tumor that develops on the main nerve leading from the inner ear to the brain.
On 13 May 2025, Amy underwent surgery to remove the tumor at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, UK.
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Today, Amy has check-up scans every six months. Her most recent scan in March was clear.
She is now raising money for Brain Tumour Research, a British charity, by walking 200km across the month of May.
Amy, a branch manager for a hair and beauty wholesaler, said: "When I was told I had a brain tumor, I thought I was going to die.
"The brain tumor just crept up on me. I was just getting on with normal life, not realising I had this massive tumor in my head because I wasn’t being affected in big, obvious ways."
In hindsight, Amy regrets not going to the doctors sooner when she her hearing started to suffer.
"When I look back now, I had reduced hearing in one ear so I should have gone to the doctors," she said.
"But because it wasn't impacting my daily life and wasn’t really causing any problems I just got on with things, but these were actually the symptoms of something so scary."
Amy had been feeling tingling and numbness on the left-side of her face in January 2025.
Her GP confirmed she had not had a stroke or had facial palsy and told her to return if the symptoms persisted.
She said: "I felt like I had just been dismissed. I saw a nurse, who referred me to neurology in the community.
"The nurse phoned me the following week, telling me that neurology had rejected my referral and advised that I have cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
"How could they dismiss me without physically seeing me and assessing me for themselves?
"I requested a second opinion with another GP, but I never had that appointment because my scheduled MRI scan for my back problem came first."
In March, Amy was 'shocked' to be told the MRI scan at Kingston Hospital showed 'there was something' on her brain.
Amy then underwent surgery to remove the tumor.
She added: "The operation went really well, although it resulted in me losing the hearing in my right ear – something the doctors had warned would happen.
"I thought half my world was going to be silent but it’s manageable and I've got cross aids, which are specialised devices for people with single-sided deafness, which really help.
"Because the tumor was attached to my facial nerve, they left a tiny sliver of the tumor there, because removal would have damaged the nerve irreparably, and I would be paralysed on one side of my face."
Amy is now taking on the 200k in May Your Way challenge for Brain Tumour Research in which supporters cover the distance in any way they choose – such as walking, running, cycling or swimming – while raising vital funds for research into the disease.
She said: "During my recovery, I walked absolutely everywhere to help get my balance get back on track.
"This cause is so close to my heart and it’s vital that research into brain tumors is properly funded.
"There are so many different types of brain tumor and there needs to be more awareness and more money to research this disease.
"Before I went through this massive surgery, I wasn't an active person but now I go to the gym, and I'm walking 200km!"