Understanding Brain Tumor symptoms

A bad headache can be a frightening experience. But sometimes, even scarier than the pounding in your head can be the tricks your mind plays on you as it’s happening. We’re all familiar with brain tumors and how serious they can be. But did you know they can have subtle symptoms as well as obvious ones, such as headaches and seizures.

Brain cancer can cause a number of symptoms depending on the location of the tumor within the brain. Symptoms can be due to direct pressure or infiltration of the involved brain structure. Symptoms can also be due to swelling or edema in the surrounding brain.

Symptoms usually develop gradually, sometimes so gradually that they might not be noticed. Weakness, sensory loss, visual changes, speech disturbance, and coordination problems are common neurological symptoms associated with brain cancer. Occasionally a brain tumor will bleed resulting in a more sudden onset of symptoms. Seizures of any type can also occur suddenly and be the first sign of brain cancer.

A sense of change: Brain tumours can cause seizures, but not just the types that cause you to lose consciousness and convulse. Some seizures can cause sensory changes: sensation, vision, smell, hearing, and even taste. If you’re having this type of seizure, you might be fully awake, alert, and even able to interact with others. This can make it impossible for others to even realize that you’re having a seizure.

Say that again!!: Cognitive functions, such as the ability to think or read, can be impacted by brain tumours. Some symptoms are really destructive in the sense that people are wide awake and may look completely alert or normal but they are very sick cognitively. This is particularly common with tumours in the midbrain. The two sides of your brain are connected, and they ‘talk’ to each other in order for you to do things like think, write, and remember. We really take that communication for granted. When a tumour disrupts the communication, it’s devastating.

Do I know this?? Everyone has memory problems now and then, and that is perfectly normal. But when forgetfulness turns to dramatic memory loss, it might be due to another problem, such as a brain tumor. Patients tend to forget names of common things like ball or a cup, unable to read simple words or don’t remember how to button their clothes. They also tend to ask the same question again and again as a new question.

My body doesn’t obey me!! Poor coordination on the dance floor is one thing. But persistent fumbling and stumbling when you’re walking, reaching for a glass, or doing other simple activities could signal a brain tumour, if you have a tumour on your cerebellum the part of your brain involved in coordinating sequences of movements you may have trouble controlling your arms and legs.

Unusual Pain: Sometimes, the brain tumour leads to unusual pain depending upon the location of pain and the what nerve is the tumour pressing.

In many cases, patients themselves don’t notice the symptoms, but rather someone around them will notice something seems off. So very vigilant about the change in symptoms and reach out for help as soon as you realize that something is wrong.