Brain Tumor- Its Signs And Symptoms

A brain tumor is the collection of abnormal cells in the brain of a human body. Skull is a very rigid structure which encloses the brain and any growth is inside such a restricted place can cause abnormalities and problems. Brain tumors can be cancerous also called malignant or can be non-cancerous also called benign tumors. The growth of either kind of tumors can cause an increase in pressure inside the skull and can cause brain damage which can prove to be fatal.

There are two categories of brain tumor- primary and secondary. Primary brain tumor originates in the brain and are usually benign. A secondary brain tumor which is also called metastatic brain tumor occurs when cancerous cells spread from the brain to other parts of the body like lungs or breasts.

People can come to know about this deadly disease if they are aware of the brain tumors symptoms. People with brain tumor may experience many symptoms. The symptoms can be general or specific. A general symptom is the one caused when pressure is created inside the skull due to the tumor which in turn causes pressure on the brain and skull. Specific symptoms are caused when a specific part of the brain stops functioning due to the tumor. A severe headache may also be due to the tumor.

General symptoms include severe headaches which may worsen early in the morning. People with brain tumor may also experience convulsions which are involuntary movements of a person’s muscles. Convulsions also called seizures can be of two types: Myclonic or Tonic-Clonic. Myclonic includes single or multiple muscle twitches, jerks and spasms while Tonic-Clonic includes loss of consciousness followed by contractions in which the person’s muscles twitch and relax. In this kind of seizure, the person loses control of his bodily functions. There is also difficulty in breathing and the person might even turn blue. After this type of seizure, the person becomes sleepy and often experiences a headache. His muscles become sore, weak and numb.

There are changes observed also in the sensory activities of a person with brain tumor. There is change in sensation, vision, smell and hearing with or without losing consciousness. The person may also experience nausea and vomiting, may also suffer from partial or total loss of memory.

The specific symptoms include pressure or headache near the area where tumor is located. If the tumor is located in the cerebellum, the person may also loss control of his balance and find it difficult to do the work which involve fine motor skills. If the tumor is located in the frontal lobe of the cerebrum, the person may become sluggish and suffer through muscle weakness. There are changes observed in the judgement as well and in severe cases the person may even become paralysed.

There is partial or total loss of vision if the tumor is located in the occipital or temporal lobe of the cerebrum. There person might find it difficult to look upward if the tumor is located in the pineal gland. He might also be confused with the left and right sides of the body if the tumor is located in the frontal or parietal lobe of the cerebrum.

Learn about the various brain tumors symptoms and enhance your understanding over this deadly disease. We aim to increase awareness of brain cancer among people.