What is a tumor?

In simple terms, it’s a mass of abnormal cells. If the tumor chooses your brain as its dwell in place then it’s called a brain tumor. There are no extra rooms for tumors inside your brain; it just takes up space which is already present inside your skull. Picture it. Threatening, isn’t it? When a brain tumor gets into someone’s life, it can be a very stressful time for him/her. Brain Tumors can be cancerous or non-cancerous. A primary brain tumor starts its journey in the brain while a secondary brain tumor begins in other parts of the body and reaches the brain.

Symptoms
Though there is an array of symptoms, one person is unlikely to experience them all. Symptoms also depend on various factors. What do you think they can be? It depends on where the tumor is budding, its type and how big it is. This is because wherever the tumor grows inside the brain, it presses and harms the surrounding tissues affecting the functions of that particular part.

Headache: Headaches are common as the grown tumor puts pressure on the nerves and blood vessels inside your brain. You can experience a new onset or changes in the pattern of headache making it more frequent and more severe. Some fast facts about these kinds of headaches are

• You experience more pain when you first wake up in the morning.
• Your headache can be accompanied by vomiting.
• Pain worsens when you cough, exercise or change position.
• Your over- the- counter medicines to relieve pain don't work.

Even if you don’t sleep for a whole night, you will get a headache. Not all headaches are tumor headaches. Learn to differentiate!

Seizures: Changes in the Brain's electrical activity are called Seizures. How does this happen exactly? The nerve cells in your body communicate with each other through electrical signals. When a brain tumor grows, it pushes on the nerve cells and interrupts the electrical signals. Sometimes being the first sign, these seizures can occur at any stage of a brain tumor. Neurological problems, drug withdrawal and brain diseases also owe to seizures.

Unexplained mood swings: Below mood swings are common when a tumor sits in your frontal lobe, temporal lobe or certain parts of the cerebrum.

• You are no easier to get along with
• Small things can irritate you
• You become more passive
• Loss of interest in things once you enjoyed
• You may even feel yourself worthless
• State of sadness inappropriate to your situation
• Your smooth talk this minute may change as an argument the next minute.

You may also have mood swings due to Chemotherapy, mental disorders, or substance abuse. It’s best to check out.

Memory loss and confusion: As explained this also depends on the location of the tumor. Memory problems are attributed to the tumor in the frontal or temporal lobe. It can even affect your reasoning and decision-making capability if the tumor is present in the frontal or parietal lobe. It is quite a big shift because your confusion on everyday matters starts like forgetting your car keys, the dress you had chosen for your meeting, etc.

Hearing loss: It’s not about the “I couldn’t hear you” when you are inside a movie theatre. It is about the gradual loss of your sense of hearing. “Can you say that again” can emerge as your frequently used term if you experience brain tumor. In this case, the tumor is found near cranial nerves and temporal lobe.

Changes in vision: This problem arises when a tumor is located in or around the pituitary gland, optic nerve, occipital lobe or temporal lobe. Your eyesight may get worse and your eyes can experience

• Blurred vision
• Double vision
• Floating shapes
• Loss of peripheral vision
• Extreme sensitivity to light

Weakness and Numbness: Fumbling on the dance floor during your practice session is completely fine. But the same when reaching for your water bottle or laptop could be bothersome. This is because your body is fighting with a brain tumor. You may also feel weak if you have autoimmune diseases, anemia, or neurological conditions. Maintaining your body's equilibrium or balance can be hard to do task. Numbness can also be experienced in any part of the body or face. If you find difficulty in moving your hands, arms, feet, and legs, it may be due to a tumor in the cerebellum or frontal lobe.

Nausea and vomiting: When a tumor causes hormonal imbalance you experience nausea and vomiting. Vomiting is the most common thing in the morning. Even food poisoning brings nausea and vomiting, not all conditions are brain tumors. It is important to remember that tumor symptoms disguise themselves as much less serious problems. It may also be spotted on scanning done for some other ailments. Consult our Neurologists at Fortis Hospital, Bangalore if you are concerned about the signs which signal brain tumor.