Brain tumors can be of various types- one that is cancerous (or malignant) and the other one that is noncancerous (or benign). Some malignant tumors start in the brain and therefore they are called primary brain cancer. While other times, a brain tumor spreads from other body parts to the brain, and therefore it is called a secondary brain tumor. There are various symptoms that can help you to detect a brain tumor at home but they are unlikely to have them all. However, the symptoms of a brain tumor depend on how big the tumor is growing and how large it is. If you or anyone you know is going through various detectable symptoms of a brain tumor, you can connect with the Best Neurosurgeon in Hyderabad.
- If you or anyone you know is going through the potential symptoms of a brain tumor, no matter how big or small the tumor is, it can result in the failure of transmission of signals from the brain to other body parts.
- Brain tumor symptoms can lead to abnormal behaviors and loss of memory.
You can detect brain tumors at home if you understand the changes produced by your body.
What are the potential symptoms of a brain tumor?
The symptoms of brain tumors vary depending on the type, size, and exact location in the brain. Some of the warning signs of a brain tumor include:
- headaches
- seizures
- sensory changes such as vision, smell, and hearing
- personality changes
- difficulty sleeping
- memory problems
- fatigue
- nausea and vomiting
- drowsiness
- difficulty walking or performing daily activities
- weakness on one side of the body
Many of the above-mentioned symptoms could be the sign of something else rather than a brain tumor. It is better to talk to your doctors and consult any specialist. It is important that you notice the changes in your body and explain the same to your doctor. However, you can also have other general symptoms of brain tumor, which may result in the following:
- Headache changes
To detect a brain tumor at home, the primary symptom you may notice is the worsening of the headache and changes in its intensity. A tumor in the brain can put pressure on sensitive nerves and blood vessels. A brain tumor can prevent the freely flowing fluid inside the brain and can increase pressure on the brain, causing a headache. If you have a brain tumor, the headache may result in the following, example:
- unexplained vomiting
- persistent pain
- Brings headaches in the morning immediately after you wake up
- neurological symptoms
- The headache may get worse with the change in position
- Over-the-counter pain relievers stay ineffective
Even if you are getting frequent headaches that may get worse day by day, it doesn’t mean that you are impacted by a brain tumor. There can be various reasons for headaches, like skipping a meal and having stress.
- Seizures
If you are having a brain tumor, it may likely push the structure of your brain. This can interfere with the electric signals between your nerve cells and may result in seizures. A seizure is sometimes the first sign of a brain tumor at an early stage. People with brain tumors suffer because of at least one seizure attack. However, seizures don’t always come because of brain tumors.
- Personality changes
Tumors in the brain can affect how your brain functions, impacting your personality and behavior. This can also lead to mood swings and may lead to other symptoms like:
- You may likely get irritated
- chances to become passive in terms of personality
- feeling relaxed and happy for a minute and next, you may become angry or start arguing with anyone for certain apparent reasons.
- These changes can take place early in the stages and there can be chances that you may develop personality changes because of certain cancer-related therapies like chemotherapy or radiation therapy
If you see frequent personality changes or shifts in mood, it can be a warning sign of your bad health. It is advisable to consult your neurologist immediately after you are seeking your mood swings at your workplace.
- Memory loss
You may also suffer because of memory loss especially if the brain tumor has affected your frontal or temporal lobe. This defect can also lead to impairing reasoning and decision-making procedures. For example, you may develop certain symptoms like:
- you may easily get distracted
- you may get confused about general topics
- may not be able to perform different things at a time and may find difficulty in planning the things.
- May develop short term memory loss
above -mentioned symptoms can happen to anyone at any stage. It can also be the side effect of various other treatments like chemotherapy, and cancer treatments. There can be possible effects on your brain which can lead to easy tiredness and fatigue. If you think that you are impacted by cognitive issues, it can also be because of other unknown reasons. You may develop memory loss also because of your medications, vitamin deficiencies, and other mental health conditions.
- Fatigue
Try to notice your body changes to detect a brain tumor at home. You may feel more tired than usual once in a while. You may also develop the symptoms like:
- Feeling exhausted at a time
- Feeling extremely weak that you are incapable to carry the weight of your body
- You may feel falling asleep in the middle of the day
- Loss of the ability to focus
- You may start feeling irritation over small things
- Fatigue can also be the major cause of brain tumors but it is not the primary sign.
- Depression
Depression is one of the common symptoms which impacts the cause of brain tumors. There can be chances that you may develop certain body changes pertaining to depression. Depression can lead to various other symptoms like:
- Feeling sad for the longest time
- Lack of interest in things which you have enjoyed earlier
- Lack of energy and trouble sleeping
- Thoughts to kill yourself and harm yourself with certain suicidal attempts
- You may develop a feeling of guilt
- Nausea and vomiting
You may develop nausea and vomiting because of the tumor, hormonal imbalance, and increase in pressure on the brain. During the treatment, vomiting and nausea can be the side effects of heavy doses of brain tumors. Nausea and vomiting can also be because of certain other reasons like food poisoning, pregnancy, influenza, and others.
- Weakness and numbness
You may develop a feeling of weakness just because your body is trying to fight the symptoms of a tumor. Some of the tumor side effects can lead to tingling, numbness, and weakness in certain body parts, especially hands and legs. Weakness can also be because of certain cancer treatments like radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
Other symptoms that you may develop because of a brain tumor include:
- Vision problems: Vision issues can develop because of the variation in the tumor location especially if the tumor is located in or around the pituitary gland, optic nerve, temporal lobe, etc.
- Difficulty in reading, writing, and speaking: you may develop these symptoms especially if the tumor is located in the temporal lobe or parietal lobe.
If you feel a consistent change in your vision capabilities, there can be chances that it can also develop because of certain other medical reasons like diabetes. It is better to consult the doctor for immediate help.