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:
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.
How are brain tumors diagnosed?
If a person has symptoms that suggest a brain tumor, the doctor may perform
one or more of the following procedures:
Physical exam - The doctor checks general signs of health.
Neurologic exam - The doctor checks for alertness, muscle strength,
coordination, reflexes, and response to pain. The doctor also examines the
eyes to look for swelling caused by a tumor pressing on the nerve that
connects the eye and brain.
CT scan - An x-ray machine linked to a computer takes a series of
detailed pictures of the head. The patient may receive an injection of a
special dye so the brain shows up clearly in the pictures. The pictures can
show tumors in the brain.
MRI - A powerful magnet linked to a computer makes detailed
pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor
and can also be printed. Sometimes a special dye is injected to help show
differences in the tissues of the brain. The pictures can show a tumor or
other problem in the brain.
The doctor may ask for other tests:
Angiogram - Dye injected into the bloodstream flows into the blood
vessels in the brain to make them show up on an x-ray. If a tumor is
present, the doctor may be able to see it on the x-ray.
Skull x-ray - Some types of brain tumors cause calcium deposits in
the brain or changes in the bones of the skull. With an x-ray, the doctor
can check for these changes.
Spinal tap - The doctor may remove a sample of cerebrospinal fluid
(the fluid that fills the spaces in and around the brain and spinal cord).
This procedure is performed with local anesthesia. The doctor uses a long,
thin needle to remove fluid from the spinal column. A spinal tap takes about
30 minutes. The patient must lie flat for several hours afterward to keep
from getting a headache. A laboratory checks the fluid for cancer cells or
other signs of problems.
Myelogram - This is an x-ray of the spine. A spinal tap is
performed to inject a special dye into the cerebrospinal fluid. The patient
is tilted to allow the dye to mix with the fluid. This test helps the doctor
detect a tumor in the spinal cord.
Biopsy - The removal of tissue to look for tumor cells is called a
biopsy. A pathologist looks at the cells under a microscope to check for
abnormal cells. A biopsy can show cancer, tissue changes that may lead to
cancer, and other conditions. A biopsy is the only sure way to diagnose a
brain tumor.
Surgeons can obtain tissue to look for tumor cells in three ways:
Needle biopsy - The surgeon makes a small incision in the scalp
and drills a small hole into the skull. This is called a burr hole. The
doctor passes a needle through the burr hole and removes a sample of
tissue from the brain tumor.
Stereotactic biopsy - An imaging device, such as CT or MRI,
guides the needle through the burr hole to the location of the tumor.
The surgeon withdraws a sample of tissue with the needle.
Biopsy at the same time as treatment - Sometimes the surgeon
takes a tissue sample when the patient has surgery to remove the tumor.
Sometimes a biopsy is not possible. If the tumor is in the brain stem or
certain other areas, the surgeon may not be able to remove tissue from the tumor
without damaging normal brain tissue. The doctor uses MRI, CT, or other imaging
tests instead.
A person who needs a biopsy may want to ask the doctor the following
questions:
Why do I need a biopsy? How will the biopsy affect my treatment plan?
What kind of biopsy will I have?
How long will it take? Will I be awake? Will it hurt?
What are the chances of infection or bleeding after the biopsy? Are
there any other risks?
How soon will I know the results?
If I do have a brain tumor, who will talk to me about treatment? When?
Brain Tumor - Symptoms at Onset of DiseaseQuestion: The symptoms of brain tumor can vary greatly from patient to patient. What were your symptoms at the onset of your disease?
Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
Edema is the swelling of tissues as a result of excess water accumulations. Peripheral edema occurs in the feet and legs. There are two types of edema, non-pitting edema and pitting edema. Causes of pitting edema is caused by systemic diseases, most commonly involving the heart, liver, and kidneys. Local conditions that cause edema are thrombophlebitis and varicose veins. Edema is generally treated with medication.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
Dementia is a significant loss of intellectual abilities such as memory capacity, severe enough to interfere with social or occupational functioning. There are different criteria classification schemes for dementias such as cortical, subcortical, progressive, primary, and secondary dementias. Other conditions and medication reactions can also cause dementia. Dementia is diagnosed based on a certain set of criteria. Treatment for dementia is generally focused on the symptoms of the disease.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which the person has seizures. There are two kinds of seizures, focal and generalized. There are many causes of epilepsy. Treatment of epilepsy (seizures) depends upon the cause and type of seizures experienced.
Hydrocephalus is an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain. The fluid is often under increased pressure and can compress and damage the brain. Symptoms of hydrocephalus vary with age, progression of the disease, and individual tolerance to the condition. Hydrocephalus is most often treated by surgery in which a shunt system is inserted.
Encephalopathy means brain disease, damage, or malfunction. Causes of encephalopathy are varied and numerous. The main symptom of encephalopathy is an altered mental state. Other symptoms include lethargy, dementia, seizures, tremors, and coma. Treatment of encephalopathy depends on the type of encephalopathy (anoxia, diabetic, Hashimoto's, hepatic, hyper - hypotensive, infectious, metabolic, infections, uremic, or Wernicke's) are examples of types of encephalopathy.
Hydronephrosis is a condition in which the kidney swells, due to a backup of urine. Hydronephrosis generally occurs with another disease.Symptoms of hydronephrosis include nausea, vomiting, urinary tract infection, fever, painful urination, increased urinary frequency and urgency, flank pain, and swelling of the abdomen. Treatment of hydronephrosis depends on the cause.
Cancers that form from brain tissue are called primary brain tumors. Brain tumors may be malignant (brain cancer) or benign. Certain risk factors, such as working in an oil refinery, as a chemist, or embalmer, increase the likelihood of developing brain cancer. Symptoms include headaches, weakness, seizures, difficulty walking, blurry vision, nausea and vomiting, and changes in speech, memory, or personality. Treatment may involve surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
Hypothermia is having a body core temperature of less than 35 C or 95 F. Most causes of hypothermia are preventable. Risk factors for hypothermia include age, mental status, medical conditions, and medications. Symptoms of hypothermia generally depend upon the severity of the condition. Treatment depends upon the severity of hypothermia. If not treated early, hypothermia can lead to cardiac arrest, coma, or death.
A brain hemorrhage is a type of stroke caused when an artery bursts in the brain, causing localized bleeding in the surrounding tissue. Causes of brain hemorrhage include aneurysm, liver disease, brain tumor, head trauma, high blood pressure, and blood vessel abnormalities. Symptoms include sudden severe headache, nausea, vomiting, loss of balance, tingling, numbness, vision changes, loss of consciousness, and loss of fine motor skills. Treatment depends upon the cause, location, and size of the brain hemorrhage.
Psychotic disorders are a group of serious illnesses that affect the mind. Different types of psychotic disorders include schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, brief psychotic disorder, shared psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, substance-induced psychotic disorder, paraphrenia, and psychotic disorders due to medical conditions.
Nausea and vomiting are symptoms that may be caused by many conditions. Antiemetics are drugs that treat nausea and vomiting. Though some antiemetics for motion sickness and mild nausea are available over the counter (OTC), most require a medical evaluation and prescription.
Hiccups are a sudden, involuntary contraction of the diaphragm muscle. In general hiccups are just a temporary condition. Some of the causes of hiccups include certain medications, surgery, eating or drinking too much, spicy foods, diseases or conditions that irritate the nerves controlling the diaphragm, strokes, brain tumors, liver failure, and noxious fumes.
Aphasia is a condition that is the result of damage to portions of the brain. It can be caused by stroke, head injury, brain tumor, or infection. There are two types of aphasia, fluent and non-fluent. Some patients may fully recover from aphasia over time, while others may not.
Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
People who have bladder spasms, the sensation occurs suddenly and often severely. A spasm itself is the sudden, involuntary squeezing of a muscle. A bladder spasm, or "detrusor contraction," occurs when the bladder muscle squeezes suddenly without warning, causing an urgent need to release urine. The spasm can force urine from the bladder, causing leakage. When this happens, the condition is called urge incontinence or overactive bladder.
Adult brain tumors are diseases in which cancer (malignant) cells begin to grow in the tissues of the brain. The brain controls memory and learning, senses (hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch), and emotion. It also controls other parts of the body, including muscles, organs, and blood vessels. Tumors that start in the brain are called primary brain tumors.
Pseudotumor Cerebri (intracranial hypertension) is a condition where there is an increase in pressure of fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord (cerebrospinal fluid or CSF) mimicing a brain tumor. The cause is unknown. The most common symptom is headache but also include eye-pain, vision loss and double vision. Pseudotumor cerebri is diagnosed with MRI or CAT scans and treated by discontinuing offending medications (if applicable), weight loss and diuretic medications. The condition can also be helped by repeated drainage of spinal fluid using the lumbar puncture.
Double vision (diplopia) is a symptom that my indicate Graves' disease, myasthenia gravis, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, diabetes, cataracts, aneurysm, brain tumor, or migraine. Symptoms and signs include eye pain, droopy eyelids, nausea, headache, and a cross-eyed appearance. Treatment of double vision depends upon the underlying cause.
Kids get headaches and migraines too. Many adults with headaches started having them as kids, in fact, 20% of adult headache sufferers say their headaches started before age 10, and 50% report their headaches started before age 20.
Most often, caregivers take care of other adults who are ill or disabled. Less often, caregivers are grandparents raising their grandchildren. The majority of caregivers are middle-aged women. Caregiving can be very stressful, so it's important to recognize when it's putting to much strain on you and to take steps to prevent/relieve stress.
Fast food consumption and lack of exercise are just a couple of causes of childhood obesity. Health effects of childhood obesity include type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, high cholesterol, asthma, sleep apnea, gallstones, fatty liver disease, GERD, depression, and eating disorders.
Neurology RSS
Healthy Living Tips
This site complies with the