Signs of a brain tumor

introduction

Growths of the brain or meninges are summarized as Brain tumors designated. The tumor can be both good and malignant. Benign tumors in the brain grow rather slowly and usually remain clearly contoured, that is, they can be clearly demarcated and recognized from the surrounding brain tissue. Malignant tumors however, are through rapid and infiltrative growth marked. Infiltrative in this context means that the tumor grows into neighboring tissue, boundaries between tumor and healthy brain can no longer be distinguished.

Symptoms

If a tumor grows in the brain, this usually only leads to symptoms once the growth has reached a certain size. In the case of malignant tumors, symptoms usually appear at an early stage of the disease due to the rapid growth.

The signs of a Brain tumor are very unspecific, that means they can also occur with other diseases or have completely harmless causes. Often the first signs of a brain tumor appear neurological failures on. These range from a headache and Dizziness with nausea and vomiting up to epileptic seizures (Seizures). forgetfulness or Changes in personality (Changes in character) are also among the possible neurological signs of a brain tumor.

Other symptoms that you may experience include Sensory disturbances and Signs of paralysisthat are in the extremities (poor and legs) show. a headache arise from the space required by the tumor. The brain is surrounded by the bony skull, so space is limited. The higher pressure in the brain caused by the swelling of the tissue around the tumor causes headaches to occur along with nausea and vomiting. Seizures arise through uncontrolled discharges of nerve fibers and lead to Muscle spasms with loss of consciousness.

Depending on where the brain tumor is located, there are changes in personality and symptoms of paralysis Speech disorders or Incoordination added. For example, one can assume that the tumor is in the right hemisphere if the left leg is paralyzed, as the left hemisphere controls the muscles on the right side of the body and the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body.

Eye / vision disorders

Eye or vision problems are a general sign of increased intracranial pressure. If the pressure in the brain is increased by a tumor, the visual disturbances are often accompanied by dizziness and nausea. Double images or "points in front of the eyes" arise. A brain tumor can also occur in the area of ​​the optic nerve (optic nerve) arise. The optic nerve is located in the front part of the brain, it starts inside the eyes and then runs to a junction where the nerve fibers of the left eye run into the right hemisphere and the fibers of the right eye into the left hemisphere. If a tumor grows on the optic nerve, it can damage the nerve.

Signs of optic nerve damage are either complete blindness in one eye (Anospie) or partial visual field loss (Hemianospias). Visual field defects can be presented differently depending on which part of the optic nerve has been damaged. Damage in the area where the nerve fibers cross each other (C.hiasma opticum), cause for example a loss of the external field of vision in both eyes (bitemporal hemianopia).

However, there are also left- or right-sided visual field defects. In the case of a left-sided visual field loss, the external visual field is disturbed in the left eye and the internal visual field in the right eye. Exactly the other way around is the case with a right-sided visual field loss. Such signs are caused by impairment of the optic nerve after its fibers have crossed.

In very rare cases, a twitching eyelid may be detected due to a growing brain tumor.
But since eye twitching is a non-specific symptom, there are rather harmless causes behind it, which you can read about in our appropriate article: Twitching eyelid - these are the causes

Impaired vision does not have to be a sign of a brain tumor, but it should definitely be taken seriously. Many other diseases of the brain, for example a stroke, are also able to trigger visual disturbances. If you notice limitations in your own visual perception, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible in order to rule out serious illnesses.

Read more on the subject at: Visual disturbances

Epistaxis

Epistaxis (Epistaxis), especially Nosebleeds in children, occurs frequently and has mostly harmless causessuch as constantly picking your nose or a blow on the nose, as can happen during sports, for example. As a sign of one Brain tumor in the real sense can Epistaxis as a result of the increased intracranial pressure to be triggered. However, this is very rarely observed. Nosebleeds are much more likely to come from increased intracranial pressure, e.g. traumatic brain injury in front.

Tumorswhich cause nosebleeds are usually there in the Nose and throat or in the Sinuses. Since the paranasal sinuses belong to the bony skull and not to the brain, these growths are not referred to as brain tumors. Nonetheless, they can grow through aggressive growth Damage blood vessels and thus causing the bleeding from the nose. Other symptoms of such a tumor are purulent admixtures to the bloodthat comes out of the nose and Swelling of the cervical lymph nodes.

Signs in children

The signs of a brain tumor are at Children similar to adults. The focus is also here a headache with possibly occurring dizziness, nausea and Vomit. If children suddenly change their behavior or their nature, for example they suddenly become angry or even aggressive very quickly, even though this was not the case before, and such things happen Changes in character concurrent with neurological symptoms, also Visual disturbances the children should be examined by a doctor.

Another sign of a brain tumor that is more common in children is Incoordination. Affected children suddenly trip a lot and fall, although they can already walk properly. Sometimes will Speech disorders observed, the children are looking for words but are no longer able to express themselves (word-finding disorders) or they speak a lot and fluently, but without meaning (language comprehension disorder).

The appearance of such signs should be taken seriously in children. It does not have to be a brain tumor, but it is advisable to have such serious changes from a pediatrician, if not even from a neurologist.

course

The course of a brain tumor depends primarily on whether it is a benign or malignant tumor. The slowly growing, benign tumors cause symptoms very late and can often be removed beforehand. Malignant, aggressive tumors, on the other hand, become symptomatic much earlier. Depending on the symptoms, the disease progresses better or worse.

Epileptic seizures or persistent headaches, for example, severely impair the patient's quality of life, and the symptoms typically worsen as the disease progresses. Medicines, such as painkillers for headaches, often no longer have any effect in the early stages. The treatment of malignant brain tumors is also not easy. Despite surgical removal, remnants of the tumor sometimes remain and the tumor can then grow again (relapse). With a recurring brain tumor, the course and therefore the prognosis often worsen dramatically. Treatment of a brain tumor usually involves surgical removal of the ulcer, followed by chemotherapy or radiation.

Read more on the topic: Glioblastoma - course of the individual stages