What are the Symptoms of Brain Cancer?
Brain cancer is generally caused by abnormal cells, which continue to grow at an unregulated rate. The symptoms that an individual has will be directly related to where the tumor is located. Because the tumor applies pressure to the surrounding healthy tissue, symptoms will occur. They are caused by inflammation or abnormal pressure being applied to healthy cells. Below are a few symptoms that someone with brain cancer may be experiencing. This is certainly not a complete list, but it can give you some information and warning that may alert you to the presence of a tumor.
Headaches can be a direct symptom of pressure on healthy tissue in the brain. While not every headache is the direct result of brain cancer, those that are persistent and reoccur should be reported to a medical professional. Seizures can also occur. If there is no history of seizures, it is very important for a determination to be made as to why the event occurred. Many reasons are possible, but having a clear picture of what caused the seizure is very important. Twitching of muscles without a seizure can also be a symptom.
An individual may also have an altered mental state. This is usually the result of too much intracranial pressure in the skull. An individual can also experience vomiting and nausea, generally this occurs in the early morning hours. This may be attributed to the interference with the inner ear and its normal functions being affected. Some individuals with brain cancer may experience weakness, or trouble walking. Furthermore, they may experience numbness and or tingling in one or all of the extremities. If an individual has any symptoms this severe, they must be seen by a healthcare professional. A doctor can determine exactly what is happening in the body.
There can be some differences between adults with brain cancer and young children with the same health issue. Young children may not be able to verbalize what symptoms they are feeling or experiencing. If the child is very young and cannot speak, the guardian can look for the symptoms listed above. Observation and speaking to a physician can help verify or rule out a brain tumor. Typically, a toddler or young child's first symptom is a seizure. However, with adults it can be possible to clearly see the symptoms of the brain tumor. Because they can verbalize any changes that their body is experiencing, they may be diagnosed much sooner.
