Brain tumour facts:
- Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age.
- Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
- One in three people knows someone affected by a brain tumour.
- Each year, nearly 13,000 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour.
- Every day, 35 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour.
What are brain tumours?
A brain tumour occurs as a result of an abnormal growth or spread of cells from within the brain, or its supporting tissues, that can damage the brain or threaten its function.
Some types of tumours can occur around the edge of the brain and press on certain parts of it, whilst others can be more diffuse, spreading out and growing in amongst healthy brain tissue.
What are the symptoms of a brain tumour?
The symptoms of a brain tumour will depend upon which part of the brain is affected. The most common symptoms are caused by an increase in pressure in the skull (intracranial pressure) caused by the growth of a tumour in the brain.
Some of the common warning signs of a brain tumour include:
- Headaches: Frequent or severe headaches, especially if they are worse in the morning or wake you up from sleep.
- Nausea and vomiting: Persistent nausea and vomiting may be a sign of increased pressure within the skull.
- Vision problems: Blurred or double vision, loss of peripheral vision, or seeing flashing lights or colours.
- Seizures: New onset seizures in an adult, especially if they occur without a known cause or with a headache.
- Weakness or numbness: Weakness or numbness in an arm or leg or on one side of the face or body.
- Speech difficulties: Difficulty speaking, slurring words, or trouble finding the right words to say.
- Cognitive changes: Confusion, memory loss, and difficulty concentrating.
What are the other brain tumour symptoms?
Other common symptoms, which may initially come and go, include one or more of the following:
- Continuing nausea, vomiting.
- Extreme or sudden drowsiness.
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or hearing loss.
- Unexplained twitches of the face or limbs.
- Seizures (fits or faints).
- Appearing to be lost in a deep daydream for a short while.
- Confusion.
- Loss of balance.
- Numbness or weakness in the arms or legs, especially if progressive and leading to paralysis.
- Numbness or weakness in a part of the face, so that the muscles drop slightly.
- Numbness or weakness on one side of the body, resulting in stumbling or lack of co-ordination.
- Changes in personality or behaviour.
- Impaired memory or mental ability, which may be very subtle to begin with.
- Changes in senses, including smell.
- Problems with speech, writing or drawing.
- Loss of concentration or difficulty in concentrating.
- Changes in sleep patterns.
For more information visit 👉 Brain Tumour Research | Together we will find a cure
If you experience any or all of the above symptoms, please contact the practice as soon as possible for an appointment. 🩺
