“Do I have a brain tumor?”
How can I tell if i have a brain tumor? You hear horror stories all the time about people having a little bit of a headache and then finding out that they've got some horrible tumor in their brain. I'm trying not to be paranoid, but I don't want that to happen to me!
3 Answers
Most such concerns turn out to be anxiety and depression which deserve a Drs visit in own right.
No one should self diagnose yes or no. If there are concerns put them to rest objectively.
Tumors, some, not all, produce atypical location or time of headache. Something is different than prior headaches; balance off, weakness in a limb, subtle speech is a little off, vision changes, any one of the above.
No one should self diagnose yes or no. If there are concerns put them to rest objectively.
Tumors, some, not all, produce atypical location or time of headache. Something is different than prior headaches; balance off, weakness in a limb, subtle speech is a little off, vision changes, any one of the above.
You can find out by getting a brain MRI.
The vast majority of headaches are not caused by brain tumors. In addition, brain tumors generally cannot be prevented.
I would recommend age-appropriate health maintenance behavior that is personalized to you by a knowledgeable primary care physician. There are no specific health maintenance activities that prevent cancers of the brain other than smoking-cessation and general cancer-screening.
If you have an occasional headache that is easily treatable with over-the-counter medication or simple measures like rest and hydration, there is no reason to be concerned.
If you have persistent or severe headaches, please seek medical attention. In addition, headaches with neurologic symptoms such as seizures, weakness, visual changes, balance problems, are concerning and should be evaluated by a physician.
If thinking about the possibility of health problems makes you anxious, please talk to your care provider about your anxiety.
I would recommend age-appropriate health maintenance behavior that is personalized to you by a knowledgeable primary care physician. There are no specific health maintenance activities that prevent cancers of the brain other than smoking-cessation and general cancer-screening.
If you have an occasional headache that is easily treatable with over-the-counter medication or simple measures like rest and hydration, there is no reason to be concerned.
If you have persistent or severe headaches, please seek medical attention. In addition, headaches with neurologic symptoms such as seizures, weakness, visual changes, balance problems, are concerning and should be evaluated by a physician.
If thinking about the possibility of health problems makes you anxious, please talk to your care provider about your anxiety.
