| | Symptoms The symptoms of brain tumors depend on tumor size, type, and location. Symptoms may be caused when a tumor presses on a nerve or damages a certain area of the brain. They also may be caused when the brain swells or fluid builds up within the skull. These are the most common symptoms of brain tumors: Headaches (usually worse in the morning) Nausea or vomiting Changes in speech, vision, or hearing Problems balancing or walking Changes in mood, personality, or ability to concentrate Problems with memory Muscle jerking or twitching (seizures or convulsions) Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
These symptoms are not sure signs of a brain tumor. Other conditions also could cause these problems. Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible. Only a doctor can diagnose and treat the problem. |
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Brain tumors may have a variety of symptoms ranging from headache to stroke. They are great mimics of other neurological disorders. It is sometimes hard to know whether a CT scan or MRI should be done if someone you know has some of the symptoms and signs noted below, but it is important to know that these studies will usually establish whether a brain tumor is behind them. The following symptoms immediately raise the question of a brain tumor:
- A new seizure in an adult.
- Gradual loss of movement or sensation in an arm or leg.
- Unsteadiness or imbalance, especially if it is associated with headache.
- Loss of vision in one or both eyes, especially if it is more peripheral vision loss.
- An eating disorder as a child.
- Double vision, especially if it is associated with headache.
- Hearing loss with or without dizziness.
- Speech difficulty of gradual onset.
The following symptoms are usually not the result of a brain tumor, but may sometimes be:
- Headache is probably the most common symptom of a brain tumor. Most people with headache, even persistent or severe headaches, do not have a tumor. However, some kinds of headache are particularly worrisome. A steady headache that is worse in the morning than the afternoon, a persistent headache that is associated with nausea or vomiting, or a headache accompanied by double vision, weakness, or numbness all suggest a possible tumor.
- A change in behavior may also be caused by a brain tumor. The development of an "I don't care" attitude, memory loss, loss of concentration, and general confusion may all be subtle signs: here, an evaluation by a neurologist may be an important step, but a CT or MRI will also help.
- Infertility or amenorrhea (abnormal cessation of menstruation).
- Some troubles which seem to be other diseases may in fact be a tumor: a stroke, even when it looks like one on a CT, may turn out to be the result of a tumor. Sometimes a fall can come from a seizure caused by a tumor. A pituitary tumor can present like a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a kind of stroke
