Every person who has suffered from headaches at some point has felt that there might be a possibility that they might be suffering from brain tumour. Because of the perceived severity of the concept of brain tumour there is an underlying fear which crops up in the mind of every patient who happens to suffer from a headache. However medical research data from top research institutes say that out of 70% of people who had been diagnosed with brain tumour only 8% of patients have pointed out that having a headache was the only definitive symptom they had felt about the brain tumour.
Signs of the link between headache and brain tumour
The signs of nausea or vomiting are commonly linked with severe headache which happens due to the development of tumour in the brain. However the fact is that pressure is only exerted on the brain when the tumour is big enough and when this happens vomiting and spasms are observed. The headache which is linked to brain tumour usually happens more in the morning. Moreover in the case when brain tumour is present the resultant headaches always occur in the same spot. The spot which is linked to the brain tumour is generally the seat of an intense throbbing pain which can even make the victim unconscious by its intensity.
So if you have migraine problems then your headaches will occur sporadically at different sides of the head. The migraine headache does not come with other kinds of symptoms like vomiting, nausea and fainting.
Preventive action in case of recurring headaches
There are a number of things you should immediately do in case you have been suffering from recurring headaches.
- Consult a reputed doctor who can thoroughly examine the cause of your headaches. A neurosurgeon is the best bet.
- Go in for a complete neurological examination that investigates all the focal nerve points in the brain and then delivers the correct diagnosis.
- If the results of the neurological examination are not clear then you might want to go in for imaging studies like Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
- If you have sinusitis or blockage in the nasal pathway the headaches might have been triggered by that. Once you take appropriate medication you have to watch and see if the headaches reduce in intensity.
- Try to lead a healthy life and stay away from excessive smoking, drinking, other addictive substances and stress.
- In case you notice nasal bleeding, seizures, excessive fatigue, fainting spells and vomiting during the course of your headaches then you need to definitely consult a neurosurgeon.
It is a commonly observed fact that headaches are a clearer indicator of suspected brain tumour (both benign as well as malignant)in childhood. 70% of children who have complained of recurring non migraine headache have been shown to be particularly vulnerable to the development of brain tumour. Though there is no exact scientific link which conclusively proves a direct connection between brain tumour and headaches, it is still better to adopt a preventive approach.
