Brain tumor symptoms: two early signs that may come and go

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According to Cancer Research UK, the incidence of brain tumors has increased by 39 percent since the early 1990s. With the upward trend continuing, vigilance is key, especially if you are more at risk of developing the disease than others.

Symptoms come in varying degrees of severity.

“Early symptoms may include headaches and feeling unwell due to increased pressure inside the skull.”

It says that “these symptoms may come and go at first and are usually worse in the morning.”

Symptoms can vary depending on where the tumor is in the brain. Different parts of the brain are responsible for different functions, so different symptoms may appear depending on where the tumor is located.

As a result, the following symptoms may occur:

• Weakness in an arm, leg or part of the face
• Loss of smell
• Dizziness
• Numbness or weakness in a part of the body
• Personality changes
• Balance problems
• Confusion

Cancer Research UK advises you to seek advice “if you have a headache that is different from the one you usually experience, or if your headache gets worse”.

Additional symptoms:

* Persistent nausea
* Persistent vomiting
* Sleepiness
* Problems with vision or speech
* Seizures (fits)

As with most diseases, there are a number of risk factors that increase your chances of developing a brain tumour. Age is one of them. Most brain tumors occur in adults over the age of 80. Certain genetic conditions can increase the risk of developing a brain tumor.

These include tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis type 1, neurofibromatosis type 2, and Turner syndrome.