Warning signs of a brain tumor
Many people with a brain tumor have no symptoms until the tumor is large or grows into an area of the brain that controls crucial functions. Smaller tumors in other parts of the brain can cause symptoms by pressing on sensitive areas of the brain.
The symptoms of a brain tumor can be difficult to identify and understand. Here’s a guide to help you.
Headaches
The most common symptom of a brain tumor is a headache. The headache often worsens over time and may be associated with any or all of these features:
- The headache gets worse with coughing, sneezing, straining, bending down or standing up, or sudden movement (such as laughing). This happens because there’s increased pressure inside your head at these times, which increases pressure on the tumor itself.
- The headache is worse in the morning after you wake up from sleep and slowly improves as you become more active during the day. This occurs because there’s no change in position while you’re sleeping to increase pressure on the tumor.
Seizures
Brain tumors can press on brain structures. This can disrupt electrical signals between nerve cells, resulting in a seizure (convulsions).
Seizures are sometimes the first symptom of a brain tumor, but they can occur at any stage. About 50% of people with brain tumors have had at least one seizure.
Changes in your personality & moods
Brain tumors can interfere with brain function, affecting your personality and behavior. These can manifest as:
- Sadness that lasts longer than seems normal for the situation
- Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
- Getting irritated easily
- Mood swings
- Changes in personality
- Suicidal or self-harming thoughts
- Insomnia, fatigue, and a lack of energy
Memory issues
A tumor in the brain can cause memory problems and impair reasoning and decision-making as well, especially if it affects the frontal or temporal lobes. For example, you may find:
- It’s difficult for you to concentrate.
- You’re easily distracted.
- You’re frequently confused.
- You are unable to multitask.
- You have a problem with short-term memory.
Other symptoms
These additional signs occur because these areas of your brain are being damaged by either direct invasion by the tumor cells themselves or compression by their growth into this area.
If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, you may want to speak with your doctor.
- Headaches, dizziness, or memory loss that last more than just a few hours
- Vision changes
- Trouble walking or speaking
- Feeling tired all the time or having trouble sleeping
- Hearing noises in your head (like buzzing or ringing)
- Having difficulty remembering things
If you think you’re experiencing any symptoms of a brain tumor, see your doctor as soon as possible. It’s always better to be safe and take some time out of your week to see a doctor than to risk it and regret it later.
What happens when I visit a doctor?
When you visit the doctor, explain which symptoms are happening and how often they’re occurring. They may run tests to confirm or deny that your symptoms match up with those of a brain tumor. The sooner you get an accurate diagnosis from a medical professional, the sooner you can start treatment if necessary. This will help ensure that your quality of life is maintained for as long as possible in whatever situation arises, whether it be continuing daily activities without incident or receiving proper care for something more serious.
At Doral Health and Wellness, we have doctors that can help you manage your condition. For more information, you can visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 11212, or call us at 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at https://doralhw.org or contact us at info@doralhw.org if you have any queries.