14 Warning Signs of Brain Tumors You Should Not Ignore

Nowadays, it is common to grow scared with simple symptoms by thinking they are caused by a lethal disease, especially if you’re looking over the internet. People tend to over think about illnesses or not think about them at all. Anyone can take visible irregularities as a big deal, making us rush to the doctor and ask for answers to those small changes in the body.

But sometimes, seemingly small changes are really a big deal. People with cancer can relate to the feeling of not knowing what was going on in their bodies. If it is so difficult to decipher how the brain works, imagine trying to notice a brain tumor without seeing it. Of course, it is not impossible to detect signs and symptoms of a brain tumor, and here we will explain some common signs you can have. We strongly recommend you to have a medical checkout if you find anything disturbing about yourself in this list. However, don’t freak out just yet. There might be another explanation for your symptoms, and only your doctor will be able to tell you

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This article will help you understand and to know more about how the body reacts in case of a brain tumor. If you present some of the following signs it is important to not get alarmed, please check out with your regular physician in case of any doubt.

Fatigue and drowsiness

In normal cases, fatigue can be relieved with proper resting at night, but in case of a brain tumor, this won’t suffice. The tumor will make the body feel weak and tired, even when you should be full of energy from good sleeping time. Small tasks can make you feel worn out; it can be just after waking up and getting ready for the day. This constant tiredness can affect your working environment and social life, just as your emotions. The intensity of the fatigue can become even worse from time to time.

Headaches

This particular symptom is one of the most common, but it is found in many other health problems as well. Recurrent pain paired with other symptoms of this list should be checked out if you’re in doubt. Mild headaches are usually easy to calm, and the source should be identifiable. The ones due to brain tumors are often very intense and different from normal headaches. They appear shortly after waking up, and painkillers or common medications will do almost nothing against them. These can be intensified by coughing, screaming, or by strenuous physical activity. The headaches can change depending on the area the tumor is located.

Memory difficulties

Sudden memory problems, such as difficulties in retaining, recalling, and maintaining information, are troublesome for everyone. Having to take your time to remember any situation or not remembering something that happened at all can get us frustrated. Brain tumors can affect memory and give a different endurance that a healthy brain would. The frontal and temporal lobes are the ones in charge of memory. If any of these areas are affected by a tumor, we could get as a result any of these memory problems. There are different cases of people who experienced amnesia before the tumor being detected.

Communication problems

Similar to memory problems, the frontal and temporal lobes are in charge of the speech. This means that the location of the tumor can also affect your speaking abilities. A lot of difficulties in communication can arise due to the placement of a tumor, and dysphasia is the most common. Having problems with language understanding and speaking might be troublesome and it is not necessarily related to a loss of cognitive functions or intellect. It is possible to have difficulties to articulate words, suffer from problems with the muscles involved in the communicational process and vocal cords that interfere with regular speech.

Muscle weakness

There is an area of the brain called precentral gyrus at the frontal lobe. When a tumor affects this area, it is very common to experience muscle weakness or paralysis on a certain part of the body. There are many reasons for muscle paralysis, and some of them can be treated. It is a disturbing sign that should be assessed by your doctor. As the tumor expands, the affected area with muscle weakness or paralysis will be expanded as well.

Visual problems

These can be especially worrisome, but sometimes go undetected. Some patients experience a complete loss of vision, whilst some only present a partial loss. It depends on the size and the depth of the affected area and the damage might not be visible at first. The damage can change depending on the location of the tumor and its growth. Some of the changes in vision can be blurred vision, a sudden loss or a greying out of the visual field after abruptly standing up.

Papilledema

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This is something only a doctor would notice, and it is often associated with visual problems as well. Papilledema is edema or swelling in the optic disc, and it shows there’s an alteration in the intracranial pressure. It is a relevant sign in pediatric tumors, and would only be detected with examination tools used by a skilled doctor.

Smell perception problems

Another symptom in brain tumors is a difficulty to perceive smell. This is called anosmia, and it is common in tumors located in the frontal lobe because in that area of the brain we have the olfactory bulb. It is commonly related with personality changes and other symptoms in this list.

Loss of balance

Motor skills, movement control and balance are controlled by the cerebellum. When tumors are located on this area, there is a possibility to have difficulties with the body’s movement regulation. The coordination and the balance of the body might become affected, and simple tasks as walking, writing, cutting paper or any action that needs precision becomes an ordeal. The difficulties to make a proper use of the motor skills can lead to frequent falling and frustration.

Personality changes

People with brain tumors at the frontal lobe are likely to have personality changes because this part of the brain controls behavior and morality. The emotions we perceive and the decisions of what is good or not comes from this part of the brain. The tumor can affect this perception, making the individual have strong mood swings, become anxious, depressive, irritable or aggressive. It can even disable restrains on the person, making them to have behaviors that can be socially unacceptable and would not have normally. It can also bring to the affected the inability to identify emotions on other people and themselves.

Cognitive problems

As many other difficulties, cognitive problems can be developed in brain tumor patients. This could affect their quality of life and their communication skills. Cognitive problems include slower thinking, easy distraction, difficulty to concentrate on tasks, losing thread of conversations, slow learning, and slow reaction to certain stimuli. It is very unlikely to present all of the cognitive problems listed at the same time, and most people experience them differently. However, if you find any of these in your case and become worried about the sudden nature of your cognitive changes, talk to your doctor about your concerns.

Gradual loss of sensation

In some cases, there is also a loss of sensation on a given part of the body, and it becomes more pronounced as the tumor grows. As the tumor grows, these changes of sensation may extend to other regions of the body. This symptom is more common when the tumor is located near to the post central gyrus in the parietal lobe. This part of the brain is in charge of the sensation of touch and pressure throughout the body.

Secretion from the breasts

The release of breast milk is stimulated by a hormone called prolactin. It is synthesized and released in the brain, and may be produced by a tumor called prolactinoma. This tumor grows in the pituitary gland, located at the sella turcica, and it is often associated with visual problems as well.

Seizures

There are a big range of seizures, and the ones people usually know consist of jerking movements with loss of consciousness. However, there are small seizures in which individuals stay with a fixed stare and still for a long time. If you suddenly start to experience seizures, you need to go to the doctor to see what’s going on.

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Note that some of these symptoms might be commonly found in other diseases, and none of them is by itself a definite indicative that you have a brain tumor. Also, take in consideration that there are many types of tumors, and not all of them are malignant. Thus, remain calmed, talk to your doctor, and get all of the screening tests he considers appropriate to your case. Do not delay your diagnosis if you find something disturbing in the way your body works, the way you move, or the way you perceive things. Whether or not your have a brain tumor, these symptoms should be taken seriously.