Potential Signs Of A Brain Tumour That You Shouldn’t Ignore

Potential Signs Of A Brain Tumour That You Shouldn’t Ignore

Brain tumours are thankfully rare, but there are many different types of tumour and therefore the  signs and symptoms can be very varied. The early signs can easily be missed, or misdiagnosed as another condition. Sometimes, the symptoms may be very subtle or there may even be no symptoms at all.

However, early detection will lead to the most effective brain tumour treatment pathway, and result in the best patient outcome. Therefore, it’s important to recognise potential warning signs, and always seek medical advice if you have any concerns.

Here’s a look at some of the most common brain tumour symptoms, and when to consult a doctor. As we have mentioned, these symptoms can be varied depending on the type, size and location of the brain tumour. They can also be sudden and intense, or subtle and develop gradually over time.

Persistent headaches

Almost everyone gets headaches sometimes, and they can have numerous causes. Most of the time, a headache won’t be caused by a tumour. Common causes include stress, migraines, dehydration, infections, hangovers, eye strain or bad posture.

However, according to the Brain Tumour Charity, about 60 per cent of people living with a brain tumour do experience headaches at some stage, which are caused by a build up of pressure on the nerves and blood vessels within the brain.

Potential signs to look out for:

• If your headaches feel different to usual, such as a dull or throbbing ache that gets worse over time, or occurs intermittently
• If your headaches are worse first thing in the morning or whenever you wake from sleep, and recede when you assume an upright position
• If your headaches do not respond to conventional painkillers that were previously effective, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
• If your headaches are triggered or worsened by coughing, bending, shouting or straining
• If your headaches are accompanied by other symptoms, such as vomiting, seizures, muscle weakness, vision disturbance, or cognitive changes

Vision changes

If the tumour is pressing on an optic nerve or causing a swelling of the optic nerve in the back of the eye, it may lead to changes in vision. This may include:

• Blurred or double vision
• Episodes of sudden vision loss, often after standing up
• Losing part of the field of your vision, such as peripheral vision

If you have any concerns about your vision, book an appointment with an optician for an eyesight test, or see your doctor.

Seizures

Seizures (commonly referred to as fits) are one of the most common first symptoms of a brain tumour in adults. All incidents of seizure should be reported to a doctor, as they can have several potentially serious causes. However, it does not necessarily mean that there is a problem.

Seizures can be relatively minor, such as a temporary jerking of the limbs, or involve convulsions and loss of consciousness. A seizure that is related to a brain tumour is more likely to cause moments of confusion, visual disturbances, or hallucinations than a full loss of consciousness.

Nausea and vomiting

A brain tumour can cause persistent feelings of nausea or vomiting, which are often accompanied by dizziness. It’s important to remember that these are usually not a sign of a tumour and can be caused by many different reasons, including: food poisoning, gastrointestinal viruses, pregnancy, and over indulgence in food or alcohol.

Nausea on its own is more likely to be caused by one of the above reasons. However, if it’s worse in the mornings and improves during the day, it gets worse if you suddenly change position, have persisted for over a week with no other obvious explanation, or are accompanied by other potential brain tumour symptoms, seek medical advice.

Persistent tiredness

Tiredness and fatigue can affect anyone, and they do not affect all brain tumour patients. The fatigue could be mild, such as sometimes feeling sluggish and slow, or almost totally debilitating, preventing an individual from carrying out their usual duties.

The fatigue might manifest as poor concentration; sleeping too much or trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep; aching muscles; anxiety and depression; feeling an exhaustion that is disproportionate to the activity carried out; lack of motivation; and a loss of interest in activities that were previously enjoyed.

When to see a doctor

The above are not a comprehensive list of potential brain tumour symptoms, and in most cases they won’t lead to a positive diagnosis of a tumour. However, if you are experiencing multiple symptoms, or symptoms that don’t improve after a few weeks and have no obvious explanation, then you should get checked out by a doctor.

If you would like to find out more about radiotherapy brain tumour treatment options, please visit our website.

Centres of Excellence for Stereotactic Radiosurgery treatment of complex Brain Tumours