What Are the Symptoms of a Brain Tumor?

About half of people with brain tumors complain of headaches.

Brain tumor symptoms depend on the size and location of the tumor. These symptoms are caused by the damage the tumor does to specific parts of the brain.

The brain is divided into these four parts called lobes.

• Frontal

• Temporal

• Parietal

• Occipital

The lobes are responsible for different functions. So your symptoms can help the doctor locate the possible brain tumor.

Focal neurological symptoms can occur as a result of a brain tumor. These are some examples of this type of symptom.

• Weakness on one side of the body

• Difficulty talking

• A limited field of vision

As the tumor grows, these other symptoms may arise from increased pressure within the skull.

• Headache

• Nausea

• Vomiting

Swelling around the tumor, called edema, can aggravate the symptoms caused by the tumor itself. When the tumor blocks the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, the chambers, also called ventricles, of the brain enlarge. This causes a condition called hydrocephalus.

If a brain tumor grows slowly, its symptoms might appear very gradually so that you might not notice them for a long time. Here are the most common symptoms of a brain tumor.

• Headaches. These will be worse in the morning. They will become less painful as the day goes on. About half of people with brain tumors complain of headaches.

• Seizures, which are uncontrollable convulsions of the body

• Nausea with or without vomiting. The latter is more typical in children.

• Weakness or loss of feeling in the arms, legs, or both

• Stumbling or inability to walk

• Changes in vision or abnormal eye movements

• Changes in personality, memory, and speech

• Changes in alertness, from increased sleepiness to coma

If you have any of these symptoms see a doctor right away. It is important to remember that these symptoms may be caused by other, less serious problems. Less than 1% of headaches are caused by brain tumors. Only about 10% of seizures in adults are caused by a brain tumor. In fact, if symptoms develop without warning, they are more often caused by a stroke.