Common symptoms of brain tumors include headaches, seizures, and nausea. However, there are other, lesser-known signs that a cancerous tumor may be growing inside your brain.
This may include hearing voices and excessive growth spurts.
According to the charity Brain Tumor Research, brain tumors kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other type of cancer.
Here, MailOnline reveals five strange warning signs of a brain tumor.
Loss of interest in hobbies
A sudden loss of interest in a favorite hobby can be a sign of a brain tumor.
According to the brain tumor charity, one in three people with a brain tumor will experience some sort of personality change.
This may be expressed in the loss of interest in hobbies.
As a tumor grows in the brain, it can put pressure on healthy cells around it.
And if it develops in the frontal lobe, the area that controls emotions, personality, and behavior, you may even begin to behave strangely.
A pituitary tumor can also cause personality changes such as depression and anxiety, according to the charity Brain Tumor Research.
Dr. Karen Noble, director of policy, research and innovation at Brain Tumor Research, said: “Brain tumors located near the pituitary gland can cause some of the most amazing symptoms, such as major changes in personality, weight and body size, or delayed puberty. . This is due to the fact that the tumor affects the level of hormones produced by the gland.
But it is important to detect these symptoms early.
The data show that only 40% of brain cancer patients live more than a year after diagnosis and only 20% live beyond five years.
sharp growth spurts
Pituitary tumors can also rarely cause growth spurts in both adults and children.
Cancer research shows that some pituitary tumors produce hormones.
This production of hormones can cause growth spurts in young people. But these growth spurts happen not only in young people, but also in adults.
Experts say this unusual increase in size could lead to the growth of arms, legs, or even the lower jaw in adults.
Dr Noble said: “Early detection and treatment can prevent complications later on, but brain tumors are often misdiagnosed, which can delay it.”
There are over 120 different types of brain tumors, and the symptoms are many and varied, depending on where the tumor is located in the brain.
forgetting
Forgetting to do everyday tasks like locking the door and turning off the oven is often seen as a sign of Alzheimer’s disease.
But forgetfulness can also be a sign of a brain tumor.
Since many areas of the brain work to store and retrieve different types of memories, it’s hard to tell how different brain tumors affect people’s memory.
Every second person suffers from memory problems caused by a brain tumor, but it can also be caused by its treatment.
Mental decline and confusion are also symptoms of a brain tumor in this part of the brain.
Experts warn that these symptoms may first appear, then disappear, and then worsen.
blurry vision
Blurred vision that comes and goes even when you wear glasses could be a sign of a brain tumor.
Experts say that the pressure of a brain tumor on the optic nerve can greatly affect your vision. You may even notice that you start to get a little clumsy and bump into things, especially if you lose sight of the corners of your eyes.
Blurred vision, floating figures, and tunnel vision can all be signs of a brain tumor, according to cancer research.
In addition to blurry or double vision, you may also experience blurry vision caused by coughing, sneezing, or even just tilting your head.
However, if these eye and visual symptoms appear suddenly, they could be caused by a blood clot or meningitis, so the charity Brain Tumor Research recommends that you see a doctor right away.
Hearing voices
Hallucinations and sometimes random voices can indicate a mental health condition. But it could also be a brain tumor.
Auditory hallucinations can be caused by both cancerous and benign brain tumors.
These hallucinations may occur if the tumor is located in the temporal lobe, the part of the brain that processes sound, understands language, and encodes memory.
It can also happen if the tumor presses on a nerve that sends signals from the ear to the brain.
The tumor can also cause hearing and speech difficulties, according to Cancer Research.
The National Health Service advises anyone who experiences hallucinations that make you see, hear, smell, taste, or feel things that seem real but are not, to seek medical attention.
Source: Daily Mail
