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If your headache is accompanied by other symptoms, it could be that it's not just an ordinary ache
Over 300,000 cases of brain tumours are reported across the world, and according to doctors, the condition can spread quickly, resulting in dangerous and life-threatening consequences. However, early detection and intervention could significantly change the prognosis.
A headache that is new, persistent, or worsens over time could be an early sign of a brain tumour. But along with it, there are a few other symptoms that can be indicative of something serious.
How to know if your headache is because of a brain tumour?
According to doctors, if your headache is accompanied by other symptoms, it could be that it's not just an ordinary ache. Symptoms like nausea, nocturnal awakenings due to pain, visual disturbances like blind spots or flashes of light, and headaches that progressively worsen over several weeks are concerning.
While headaches alone are unlikely to indicate a brain tumour, they may be a cause for concern when:
- Paired with feeling or being sick
- They wake you up during the night
- They come with eye problems like blind spots or flashes of light
- They get progressively worse over a few weeks
Other worrying symptoms of brain tumours
While some people who have a brain tumour experience no symptoms, especially if it is very small, a few signs would vary depending on the tumour’s location, size, and type. They can include:
Seizures
If suddenly out of the blue you have been experiencing seizures, you must get a detailed check-up done. While it could indicate a variety of health issues, doctors say up to 80 per cent of those with brain tumours experience seizures or fits. These can range from subtle hand twitching or jerking to full-body effects.
Nausea and vomiting
While nausea and vomiting can mean anything, if it is persistent, get it checked. Doctors say if you experience nausea with sudden movements, it means there is something you need to take seriously.
However, it is rare for those with a brain tumour to suffer from sickness alone.
Blurred vision
According to experts, blurred vision is a significant symptom of this debilitating condition, occurring when the tumour puts pressure on the optic nerve, which is responsible for transmitting visual information to the brain. The pressure causes swelling of the optic disc, leading to distorted vision, including blurriness.
Doctors say the tumours that are located near the occipital lobe—part of the brain responsible for vision processing—or the brainstem, where the optic nerve is situated, are most likely to cause vision changes like blurred vision.
Drowsiness
Whenever there is increased pressure on your skull, it lowers the blood supply to the brain, causing drowsiness or even loss of consciousness.
Drowsiness is a significant symptom of a brain tumour, often occurring due to increased intracranial pressure caused by the tumour itself, which restricts blood flow to the brain and leads to feelings of fatigue and lethargy.
What causes brain tumours?
Doctors say tumours in the brain develop when certain genes on the chromosomes of a cell are damaged and no longer function properly. While it is not known why it happens, experts believe the DNA in chromosomes tells cells throughout your body what to do—when to grow, when to divide or multiply, and/or when to die.
When brain cell DNA changes, it gives your brain cells new instructions, with your body developing abnormal brain cells that grow and multiply faster than normal and sometimes live longer than normal. When that happens, the ever-growing crowd of abnormal cells takes over space in your brain.
Many times, environmental factors like exposure to large amounts of radiation from X-rays or previous cancer treatm lead to further damage. In other cases, the environmental injury to the genes may be the only cause.
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