The brain tumor refers to a growth or mass of irregular cells in one’s brain. Brain tumors are of various types; some are malignant or cancerous while some are benign or non-cancerous. The benign tumors are also called primary cancer of a brain. They originate into the brain by itself or the nearby tissues such as cranial nerves, pineal gland or pituitary gland, and meninges (membranes that covered brain). The malignant tumors are also called secondary cancer of a brain. These metastatic tumors spread from other parts of a body towards the brain or these usually occur in people who have a history of tumors in other parts of the body. Secondary tumors of a brain are more common in adults than primary tumors.
Brain tumors provide several warning signs but it’s unlikely to appear all in one person. The warning signs of brain tumors are also categorized according to its types which are specific or general.
The general warning sign occurred by a pressure of tumor or involvement of the spinal cord or brain. The specific warning signs happened when a particular portion of a brain does not work properly due to the tumor. Most of the people who suffered from brain tumor went to doctor when they experienced some problem like a headache, seizures or some other changes. The brain tumors occur in all sizes and shapes and the same is with their signs.
A neurosurgeon in Weil Cornell Spine and Brain center named Theodore Schwartz told that a basic key regarding warning sign of brain tumor depends upon its location. For instance, if an individual has a tumor close to the portion of a brain which controls the eyesight or arm, then his/her symptoms or signs include blurry vision or limb weakness. Thus, the warning signs can vary depending upon the tumor of where it is growing and how big the size it has.
Brain Tumors Warning Signs
As described above, the warning signs of the brain tumors differ according to their size, type, and location within a brain. Some of the most common warning signs are described in following:
Seizures
The motor seizures, commonly known as convulsions are involuntary, sudden movements in the muscles of a person. Seizures are one of the most important warning signs of a brain tumor. It is particularly important for people who do not have any earlier history of it.
Motor seizures are usually regarded as the first sign of a brain tumor yet it may occur at any phase of cancer. The brain tumors push forward nerve cells within the brain and interfere with the electric signals that result in a seizure. Nearly fifty percent of people who suffer from a brain tumor experience a minimum of one seizure. People can experience different kinds of seizures which include tonic-clonic and myoclonic. Differences between different kinds of seizures are as follows:
a) Tonic-clonic
- Loss of body tone and consciousness, followed by relaxing and twitching muscles.
- Loose control over functions of a body
- Hypoxia; a short-term period (not more than 30 seconds) without breathing, which turns the color of an individual into a blue shade
- When experience this kind of seizures, an individual may feel sleepy or get a headache, weakness, confusion, sore muscles and numbness.
b) Myoclonic
- One or more than one muscle twitches, spasms, and jerks
c) Complex partial seizure
- It is linked with unintentional, repetitive movements like twitching
- May happen in the form of awareness’ loss or total or partial consciousness’ loss
d) Sensory seizure
- Changes in vision, smell, hearing and sensation without losing control of consciousness.
Irrespective of tumor type, seizures are often found to be the first warning sign of trouble. A patient of brain tumor feels convulsions and get unusual or abnormal movements because tumor causes irritations of the brain coverings and neurons of the brain fire uncontrollably. One may experience convulsions of the whole body or flexing jerking may confine to only one portion of a face or one limb.
Headache changes
Worsening or severe headaches are one of the most common warning signs of a brain tumor. Yet, these are not regarded as an early sign of a brain tumor. They affect nearly fifty percent people of the total proportion who suffer from a brain tumor. The brain tumor put pressure over blood vessels and sensitive nerves. It results in the form of headaches or in some cases changes an old headache’ patterns like the following:
- One may experience a persistent pain yet it is not similar to that of a migraine.
- Occurred through new neurological warning signs or vomiting.
- Hurts further when one gets up early in the morning.
- A headache that gets severe or worse when one exercise, change position or a cough.
- The medicines of a typical headache do not help out at all.
People usually can have a variety of reasons for headaches except the above like meal skipping, sleeplessness or stroke. Yet one has to differentiate the above warning signs against these issues. Headaches are usually not initial warning signs of a brain tumor because they generally occur after the development of a large tumor. But once this worsening sign appears, one should contact a doctor immediately.
Personality Changes and Mood Swings
Brain tumors disturb brain functions and affect one’s behavior and personality. They also become a cause of mysterious mood swings. For instance:
- A patient was easy to be getting on with and now he gets irritated more easily.
- He used to like a go-getter and now he has become passive.
- The patient remains happy and relaxed for a minute and the other moment, he is beginning to do an argument especially without an appropriate reason.
These warning signs appear especially due to a brain tumor in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe and a certain portion of the cerebrum.
Changes in Behavior and Memory Loss
It is fact that brain tumor causes a big shift in an individual’ personality or behavior, the kind of drastic changes people sometimes watch in movies or hear about are uncommon in this case. People suffering from tumors have more tendencies to have the issues remembering subjects or things and to have confused feelings. Along with behavioral changes, memory loss is another warning sign of brain tumor which happens due to a tumor in the temporal or frontal lobe. A Brain tumor in parietal or frontal lobe also affects decision making and reasoning.
For instance, one can find that it is very hard to pay concentration and he can distract himself easily. The patient gets confused even about very simple matters and finds it very difficult to multitask and planning anything. Another finding could be that one may get short-term issues regarding remembering things.
Fatigue
Another warning sign of a brain tumor is a fatigue that happens due to cancerous brain cells. Fatigue refers as one step higher than tiredness. This fatigue could be muscular or mental. Here are some warning signs that a patient with a brain tumor is experiencing a true fatigue:
- One finds completely exhausted.
- One finds himself fall asleep during the mid of a day.
- One feels weak and his limbs may feel heavy.
- One may lose his aptitude to focus things.
- One may get out of the sorts and irritable.
Depression
Depression is common among people suffering from any kind of brain tumor. However, reasons behind depression are different from other symptoms of a brain tumor. Sometimes, even loved ones and caregivers become the reasons for depression during a treatment period of brain tumor patients. It develops in the form of a:
- Loss of concentration in things that brain tumor sufferer was used to like or enjoy
- Feelings of the sadness lasting longer compared to what looks normal for a situation
- Trouble sleeping, lack of an energy, and insomnia (complete absence of sleep)
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
Nausea and vomiting
Evidently, an individual may feel nauseous due to a lot of reasons but persistent nausea without an apparent reason is the big warning sign. If a person feels sick and especially if he is above forty and illness comes suddenly then one needs immediate attention. It is particularly right if one’s nausea is linked with other warning signs of a brain tumor.
Nausea could be a warning sign of an early stage of brain cancer because a brain tumor causes the hormone imbalance. This vomiting is not relieved by common antiemetics and doctors may prescribe specific antiemetics to control tumor-induced vomiting.
Clumsiness, Numbness along with Weakness
If one finds him fumbling with the keys, struggling with balance or missing steps, then this clumsiness in one’s legs, hands or arms may be a troubling sign of brain tumors. Problems controlling over facial expressions, swallowing or speaking are also some other ways of clumsiness.
Same as of clumsiness, losing the feeling in part of face or body is something which one has to keep an eye. Specifically, if the tumor is seen over brain stem then the part where one’s brain links with his spinal cord; one may experience, clumsy movements or feeling losses. Feeling of the weakness occurs just because the body of an individual is fighting with a tumor. Some kinds of brain cells cause detachment or tingling of feet and hands. It tends to occur on just one part of the body and also indicate the tumor in specific parts of a brain.
Loss of balance
Brain stem has a significant role in numerous areas of a body and same is with the motor function. If somebody finds walking a bit difficult, particularly in dark as well as he inclines to lean to one side, it can be a warning sign of a brain tumor. It is caused by the development of tumors cells into the cerebellum along with part of a brain which is responsible for coordination and balance.
Left & right legs and arms loss control
The motor cortex is a part of the brain that controls the movement of muscles in the whole body. The right part of motor cortex handles a left portion of the body whereas left part of motor cortex regulates the function of a right section of the body. If the development of tumors occurs in these parts of the brain then the transformation of signals is disturbed and resultantly there happens a functional loss.
Moreover, if someone has a brain tumor then he may not feel pain in his limbs and his right or left leg do not respond according to his will.
Ear ringing or Hearing loss
A temporal lobe which is located at a bottom central portion of cortex behind temples is liable to process one’s ability of sound hear along with one’s capability to understand and comprehend conversation and language.
If a person is experiencing loss of hearing from one part or continuous ringing sensation called as tinnitus; one should have to take an appointment to a doctor.
Double vision or vision changes
Changes in vision involve double vision or loss of a part of the vision which can come from a tumor in a temporal lobe, brain stem or occipital lobe. Inability to see upward is caused due to a tumor in the pineal gland.
Infertility
The hormones of production are also linked directly with the brain through pituitary gland. Brain tumors affect the pituitary gland which secretes more hormones and disrupts the normal gland functioning. This is the reason is why several women suffering from brain tumors are not able to produce or conceive milk when giving birth. This condition termed as lactation.
Difficulty forming words
Stuttering and slurred speech is another common warning sign of brain tumors. The problem is linked with language, like difficulty in naming the objects, understanding what the other people are saying and stuttering are basic warning signs of brain tumors. These type of tumors are found in temporal and frontal lobes as well as part of a brain that is connected along with the motor function of language and speech comprehension. Two types of speech centers exist in a brain.
One which is located in the left part is termed as Wernicke’s area and it allows people to comprehend and understand the speech. The second one that activates muscles creates sound. When brain tumor developed in a brain both the abilities are obstructed.