Brain cancer can be a frightening diagnosis, but catching the disease in its early stages can greatly improve the chances of a successful treatment plan. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the warning signs associated with brain cancer, and as a result, fail to identify the disease until it is too late. In this blog post, we’ll discuss some of the early warning signs of brain cancer that you may be ignoring.
By understanding these signs, you can make sure you seek medical attention if you suspect something may be wrong.
Frequent or Persistent Headaches
One of the earliest and most common symptoms of brain cancer is increasingly frequent and severe headaches. Headaches brought upon by brain cancer are often described as either dull or sharp stabbing pains that can last from anywhere between 4 to 72 hours.
If you’ve noticed a recent development of frequent or severe headaches, make an appointment with your doctor. While this doesn’t always link to an underlying illness or health condition, it’s important to be sure it’s not anything serious.
Changes in Vision
Changes in vision can be a warning sign of brain cancer, so it’s important to pay attention to any changes that you experience. When your brain is affected by cancer, the signals sent to your eyes may be disrupted, resulting in a number of different symptoms.
These can include blurred or double vision, an inability to focus, sudden partial or complete loss of vision in one or both eyes, and changes in the size of your pupils. You may also experience involuntary eye movements, tunnel vision, and an inability to perceive colors.
Speech Difficulties
Speech difficulty is a common symptom of brain cancer. If you experience difficulty understanding or forming words, it may be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
If you’ve been experiencing difficulty speaking or understanding speech, you should take note of what type of speech difficulty you’re having. Are you having trouble forming words or do you have an inability to understand what others are saying? If so, it could be a sign of brain cancer.
Impaired Hearing
Hearing impairments are a common symptom of brain cancer, and it is important to be aware of any changes in your hearing. Signs of impaired hearing can include difficulty understanding conversations, increased sensitivity to loud noises, and buzzing or ringing in the ears. In some cases, hearing loss may come on suddenly or gradually worsen over time.
If you notice that your hearing is declining, it is important to speak with a doctor to investigate the cause. Hearing tests can help to determine if your hearing problems are related to a tumor or another health issue. If a tumor is identified as the cause of your impaired hearing, treatment options can be discussed with your doctor. It is important to remember that early diagnosis is key to effectively treating brain cancer.
Personality or Behavior Changes
If a patient with brain cancer has developed a tumor in the frontal lobe, it’s possible that you may notice a change in their personality or behavior. The frontal lobe manages and regulates the way we act, so when it’s not working properly, it will often cause socially inappropriate behavior.
These changes can also include mood swings or intense emotional outbursts, which should not be ignored as these are signs of brain cancer.
Consistent Fatigue
As with all forms of cancer, patients are likely to experience huge amounts of stress, anxiety, or depression. When these sudden and intense emotions develop, it’s not uncommon that fatigue follows. These emotions use up high amounts of energy, and can even affect your quality of sleep.
When a brain cancer patient is overly tired, it’s likely that their day-to-day routine becomes a little foggy…
Confusion in Everyday Matters
Tumors in the brain are likely to cause delirium, due to their effect on the fluid and electrolyte balance of your body. When this balance isn’t working properly, it may lead to mental confusion until a patient starts treatment.
This next symptom should be taken seriously, especially if you haven’t experienced it in the past…
Seziures
A seizure can be characterized by a build-up of uncontrolled electrical activity among the cells in your brain. This uncontrolled activity can trigger abnormalities in movements, behaviors, sensations, or states of awareness.
Brain cancer patients can often experience seizures due to an imbalance of chemicals in the brain due to the tumor. Seizures are also often the first clinical sign of brain cancer, making it important to seek medical help if you experience this symptom.
