Brain Tumor Symptoms

More Than Just a Headache

 

Brain tumors are serious conditions. If you have more than a few of these symptoms, please see a doctor and get checked out. Brain tumors are associated with a plethora of symptoms noticeable in daily life. The nature of the symptoms depend upon the following:

  • Location of the tumor
  • Size of the tumor
  • Nature of the tumor (benign or malignant)

Unfortunately the first and foremost symptom of a brain tumor is often a headache. Heacaches can often go misdiagnosed or undiagnosed because they are just so common that they are overlooked as a tumor symptom. If unusual headaches persist do not be afraid to consult your physician. Better safe than sorry.

brain tumor symptomHeadaches can occur because of the pressure of the growing tumor on the surrounding normal brain tissue. This kind of tumor related headache usually occurs more often during mornings and is aggrevated by coughing or sneezing. One key point to keep in mind about these types of headaches is that it disrupts sleep. That is, you'll go to sleep without any headache only to wake up in the middle of the night or in the early morning with a severe pain in your head. The intensity and frequency of headache increase as the tumor continues to grow. People suffering from chronic 'benign' headaches due to other causes, will notice a change in headache patterns once a growing tumor is present.

Symptoms

  • Nausea - Especially in the Morning
  • Blurred Vision
  • Diplopia (Double Vision)
  • Decreased Field of Vision
  • Decreased Peripheral Vision
  • Abnormal Eye Movements
  • Drowsiness
  • Difficulties with Speech
  • Hearing Abnormalities
  • Behavioral Changes
  • Personality Changes
  • Changes in Speech
  • Memory Abnormalities
  • Confusion
  • Epileptic Like Fits
  • Loss of Intellectual Ability
  • Abnormalities in Smell
  • Difficulty with Writing or Drawing
  • Disturbances in Gait (Walking)
  • Difficulty with Balance
  • Chronic Confusion
  • Mood Swings
  • Obvious Poor Judgement
  • Weakness in One or More Limbs
  • Decreased Sensation in One or More Limbs
  • Hormonal Problems
  • Fever (rarely)
  • Abnormal postures (Decerebrate, Decorticate Postures)
  • Fatigue
  • Absence of Menstruation
  • Breathing Problems
  • Abnormal Movements
  • Involuntary Movements
  • Problems with Eye Movement and Eyesight
  • Facial Asymmetry
  • Obesity
  • Problems Swallowing
  • Problems with Tongue Movements and Taste
  • Tremors of the hands
  • Hiccups

Brain Tumor Syptoms In Infants

Infants with brain tumors may have one or more of these symptoms:

  • Widely Separated Skull Bones
  • Increase in Head Circumference
  • Bulging Fontanelles (The soft spots on a baby's head)
  • Opisthotonus (A type of spasm where the head and heels are arched backwards)
  • Absent Red Reflex in the Eye (The red/orange reflection of the retina)

More information on brain tumor symptoms can be found at the Brain Tumor Society.

 

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