If a person often suffers from severe headaches, a brain tumor is not yet an accurate diagnosis. In any case, the malaise should not be ignored, it is very important to be examined by a doctor to find out the cause of the disease.
Types of brain tumors
A brain tumor can be primary or secondary.
Primary:
- Astrocytoma. Formed in the region of the cerebellum. Accompanied by convulsions, psychological symptoms. Can sometimes cause incoordination.
- Glioma. Formed in the brain stem. It is very dangerous for the reason that it is impossible to remove it. May cause heart and breathing problems as it grows, leading to death.
- Ependymoma. A benign tumor characterized by high intracranial pressure. Can be cured with radiation therapy.
- Oligodendroglioma. The tumor develops very slowly, but it is not always possible to remove it. Accompanied by strongheadaches and convulsions. Sometimes accompanied by partial loss of vision.
Secondaries:
- Medulloblastoma. A malignant tumor that most often affects the children's brainstem.
- Schwannoma. Formed in the cranial cavity, accompanied by hearing loss. Can be removed with surgery.
- Pituitary adenoma. Can be cured at an early stage.
Also, a tumor can be benign or malignant. The attending physician determines the size of the seal, then decides whether the operation can be performed. All subtleties and nuances, possible consequences are discussed with the patient. Sometimes older people refuse the operation because it is too much stress on the body, which can lead to death.
Primary symptom: headache
What kind of headache with a brain tumor is an alarm signal - in the temporal lobe or in another segment? Any, it gives a person to understand that violations have occurred in the body. They can be neurological in nature, but in some cases they can be much more serious. It is important to know how the head hurts with a brain tumor, so that at the first symptoms you should immediately consult a doctor.
Pain Character:
- Severe ailments occur immediately after waking up, disappear after a few hours.
- Persistent pain during sleep accompanied by weakness, nausea, or severe dizziness.
- Pulsating pounding intemporal region.
- Headache accompanied by numbness or double vision.
- Increased ailments due to cough or physical activity.
Pain in the head with a brain tumor depends on many factors, so it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination of the body to make an accurate diagnosis.
Symptoms of the intellectual sphere
Sometimes the only symptoms that indicate a brain tumor are intellectual disabilities.
How they manifest:
- Memory deterioration is noted.
- The nature of behavior is changing.
- It is very difficult for a human to concentrate.
- Persistent drowsiness.
- Logical thinking is minimized.
- The person becomes lethargic. The desire to communicate with friends, close relatives disappears.
- Haunted by constant stress, even a small trifle can piss you off.
A person can be haunted not only by a headache with a brain tumor. Symptoms of intellectual disability are also a warning sign.
Other symptoms
- Instability of coordination of movements, it is difficult to keep balance.
- Dizziness, deafness and difficulty speaking.
- Hands and legs lose sensation - this is the first sign of a brain tumor. They may present as slight numbness.
If you find any of these symptoms, do not wait until the condition worsens even more. timelyexamination can save from many diseases. The first sign of a brain tumor should be an alarm signal - you need to visit a doctor. A progressive disease can provoke dangerous consequences.
Risk factors
Doctors have identified the main risk factors that increase the possibility of developing a brain tumor.
- Age category. Most often, the disease develops in people over 45 years of age. However, some types of tumors are only possible in young children. A person is not immune from disease at any age.
- Radiation - now almost everyone is exposed to it. Mobile phones, TV, microwave ovens - this is not all the equipment that emits rays that are harmful to he alth. Over time, all this is postponed and develops into ailments. The nature of the headache in brain tumors can have a different origin, but if the pain strongly radiates to the temporal lobe, it is urgent to get checked.
- Chemistry. If a person works in an enterprise related to the chemical industry, then you should be extremely careful with your he alth. Studies have shown that certain industries can trigger headaches. The brain tumor in this case grows very quickly, so it is important to diagnose it in time.
- Heredity. Some types of tumors can be passed from generation to generation. If an illness is common in the family's medical history, then it is necessary to undergo regular examinations to protect yourself.
Medical examination
If during the check the doctor suspects that an ailment is developing, he recommends that the patient undergo several procedures for an accurate diagnosis. Pain from a brain tumor may not bother you much, so the symptoms are not always visible to the naked eye, a deeper examination is needed.
- Neurology. A consultation with a neurologist is required. He will test hearing, vision, reflexes and general coordination. If violations are detected, this will help determine the cause of the headaches. A brain tumor is easier to diagnose when as much information as possible on the symptoms is collected.
- MRI. This is a special device that, using radio waves, generates an image of the state of the brain on the screen. According to the results of the examination, the specialist can accurately determine whether there is a tumor or not.
- Tissue biopsy. It is carried out if the tumor is in a hard-to-reach place. The neurosurgeon carefully drills a small hole in the skull, inserts a needle, and takes a tissue sample. Next, a test is performed, during which you can find out whether the tumor is malignant or benign.
Patients are very often interested in where the head hurts with a brain tumor. An unequivocal answer to this question cannot be given because the symptoms can be felt both in the temporal lobe and in any other. Does the head hurt with a brain tumor? Some symptoms are obvious, others do not feel the ailment untiluntil the condition abruptly begins to deteriorate.
Possible consequences
Depending on which area of the brain was affected, the disease can lead to certain complications.
Brain tumor - consequences:
- Weakness. If the disease has affected the part of the brain that is responsible for the coordination of movements, then it is quite possible that a person will often feel weakness in the legs and arms. The sensations are very similar to those after a stroke.
- Vision. If the optic nerve is affected, then at best the person will see double, or he will see worse. However, if the disease was not eliminated at the primary stage, then the consequences may be worse - lifelong blindness. It is important to remember that if a severe headache is felt with a brain tumor, the symptoms may continue to develop. We can't wait, otherwise things will get worse.
- Pain in the temporal region. Does the head hurt with a brain tumor? Of course. Moreover, the pain caused by this disease is regular and unbearable. Very often accompanied by vomiting and dizziness.
- Rumor. If the tumor touches the auditory nerve, the person may be partially or completely deaf. Moreover, it is impossible to restore it later, even if the main ailment is eliminated.
- Psychological change. A person's behavior, his worldview and manner of communication are changing. Mental disorders are extremely rare, mostly in older people.
- Brain coma. This is the worst complication that a tumor can lead to. The brain just dies, as a result of which it diesand man.
Surgery
When a person is diagnosed with a brain tumor, the surgeon finds out its size and location. If the seal is in the place where it can be reached, then surgery is performed. The surgeon removes the tumor as much as possible.
There are often cases when the tumor is small in size, so it is easy to get rid of it. The surgeon separates the formation from the brain tissue, eliminating the possibility of postoperative consequences.
It happens that a tumor has formed in a sensitive area of the brain. The surgeon will not always undertake the operation for the reason that it is risky. If part of the brain is affected, it can adversely affect human he alth, even death. In such cases, the doctor can only offer to remove those parts of the tumor that are in a safe area. Of course, the operation will not completely relieve the disease, but it will weaken the symptoms of the disease.
Any operation to remove a brain tumor is a big risk. It is carried out using special equipment and microscopes. An experienced doctor must take a biopsy of the damaged area, only after that he discusses with the patients the possibility of surgery, warns him of the possible consequences.
After the operation, the attending physician conducts a second examination in order to determine whether it was possible to completely get rid of cancer cells.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapyis one of the most effective and modern methods used in the treatment of brain tumors. The source of radiation is sometimes located outside the patient's body, in some cases it is necessary to place it right next to the source of the problem.
Why is remote radiation therapy needed? Very often, doctors recommend that patients undergo this procedure after surgery. The rays affect a specific area or the entire brain. Such radiation helps to "kill" the cells that contributed to the development of the tumor.
When the tumor is inoperable, radiation therapy is also used. This is the only method that can give a person hope for a partial or complete cure.
This procedure may cause some side effects (the degree depends on the dose received). A person feels weakness, severe constant fatigue, pain in the temporal region. However, over time, the body recovers, immunity strengthens, side effects disappear.
Radiotherapy is constantly improving. Techniques are now known that use a cyber-knife, a gamma-knife or a linear accelerator. These methods are more reliable and guarantee the best effective result.
Radiosurgery method
The essence of the method lies in the fact that the effect on the tumor occurs due to several beams of rays, and not one. They pass right through the tissue of the disease and act on the root of the problem.
Modern technologies allow such an operation to be done as quickly and simply as possible. Often work is done with a gamma knife. Radiosurgery is considered an excellent alternative to surgery. It is painless, effective and allows the doctor to remove the tumor without a scalpel.
The most important thing is that the gamma knife allows you to get to the tumor even in the most inaccessible places. Now even inoperable compaction can be eliminated as efficiently as possible. In some cases, radiosurgery is a person's only chance for a cure.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a procedure that is carried out with the help of special drugs that can kill cancer cells. Most often, they are injected into the patient's veins. This method is considered the most effective because the drug enters the bloodstream, spreads throughout the body and kills all foci of tumor formation.
Another method of injecting the drug is into the spine. Treatment affects only the central nervous system of a person. Sometimes chemotherapy has to be given right at the time of the operation. When the surgeon removes the tumor, he places special disc-shaped capsules in the free space. Over the course of several days, these capsules secrete a special substance that kills remaining cancer cells.
The method of drug administration depends on the type of tumor and its location. The surgeon can make a final decision only after the patient has undergone a full examination and passed all the necessary tests.
Chemotherapy can cause nausea and headaches in a person. A brain tumor is a serious diseaseany intervention in this area is dangerous. You need to be prepared for any side effects after administering the medication. Patients are warned in advance that hair falls out after chemotherapy.
Rehabilitation period
A person who underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor simply needs to go through rehabilitation. The disease can affect the organs of hearing, vision, motor skills. There are cases when patients recovered on their own within a certain period of time.
However, in cases where the tumor was large, rehabilitation without medical assistance is impossible. It includes:
- Recovery of cognitive functions. Logical tasks, reading and mathematical counting are elementary exercises that are recommended for patients after surgery. They will help restore thinking.
- Physiotherapy. If the tumor has led to a loss of motor skills, then physical therapy will help restore them. The rehabilitation period depends on the individual characteristics of the person and the desire to recover. Older people usually take longer to regain motor skills.
- Labour. If a person is able to return to work, this is the right step. Recovery in place will help to cope with the disease on a psychological level.
Preventive measures
A brain tumor is a diagnosis for which it is impossible to prepare. Most often, the disease simply catches by surprise. You just need to know a few symptoms, know howheadache with a brain tumor. And if there is a suspicion, then immediately consult a doctor.
Recommendations are general - lead a he althy lifestyle, try to eat more seasonal vegetables and fruits. They contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals that help strengthen the immune system.
Strong immunity is a guarantee of he alth, so it must always be kept in good shape. Each person sometimes needs to listen to his body, to the signals that it gives. Sometimes these signals can mean nothing, and sometimes they can be a warning.
