Welcome to Bahamas Local, Your Bahamas Online Search Engine

Just a Headache or Something More Serious? Cleveland Clinic Breaks Down Warning Signs of a Brain Tumor

Thu, Jun 5th 2025, 03:28 PM
Health

Over your lifetime, the odds of developing a cancerous brain tumor are less than 1%. Usually, symptoms like a headache or confusion are just your body’s way of telling you to hydrate or sleep more.

But rarely, these symptoms can signal a bigger problem.

Unfortunately, the warning signs of a brain tumor can be as diverse as the brain’s endless list of responsibilities. “There is no specific sign for a brain tumor,” says neurosurgeon Gene Barnett, MD. “A brain tumor can present with many different signs and symptoms, depending on where it is located.”

With more than 120 types of brain tumors, symptoms run the gamut from none at all to major red flags. Ultimately, how your body sounds the alarm depends on where the tumor forms, what part of your body the effected area of your brain controls or how big the tumor is.

But to know when a symptom really spells trouble, you need to know your own body. Changes in your health can be just as telling as the symptom itself.

If you experience one or several of these signs, Dr. Barnett recommends seeing a medical professional: seizures, changes in your mental status, personality or behavioral changes, clumsiness, visual problems, limb weakness, or headaches.

A tumor can make your brain’s neurons fire wildly, leading to seizures.

Perhaps you’ve had confusion, one too many “senior moments” or more trouble than usual figuring out a restaurant bill. Your mental abilities are personal to you and so are any changes to them.

“Frontal lobe tumors, in particular, can cause happy, bubbly people to develop a flat affect or cause some normally quiet people to become more talkative,” explains Dr. Barnett. “They can also cause a loss of inhibition.”

Brain stem tumors may lead to a loss of balance or clumsy movements.

A tumor in your brain area that controls eyesight may affect your vision. Blurred, double or even loss of vision can be signs of a brain tumor.

Losing strength or weakness in an arm or leg may be a brain tumor symptom.

“But most headaches are not the result of a brain tumor,” Dr. Barnett assures. “Brain tumor headaches tend to persist for more than a few days, are associated with nausea or vomiting or occur early in the morning.”

Something most people don’t know is that the most common brain tumors don’t actually start in your brain. Brain metastases, or metastatic brain tumors, spread to your brain from other parts of your body — most often from your lungs, breasts, skin, kidneys or colon.

“A person with a known history of these cancers who develops any of these neurological symptoms should be evaluated,” Dr. Barnett says.

If you’re diagnosed with a brain tumor, Dr. Barnett says you’ll get the best care at a brain tumor center of excellence.

“These centers specialize in multidisciplinary treatment for brain tumors,” he explains.

“You have neurosurgeons who treat patients with brain tumors every day of the week. You also have radiation oncologists and neuro-oncologists or medical oncologists who primarily treat patients with brain tumors.”

These centers usually offer opportunities to participate in clinical trials, too. So, if a tumor has limited treatment options, a brain tumor center can give you access to promising new drugs or immunotherapies that may effectively treat it.
 
About Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 82,600 employees worldwide are more than 5,786 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,700 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,728-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 280 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2024, there were 15.7 million outpatient encounters, 333,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 320,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 112 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at x.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources are available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.

Over your lifetime, the odds of developing a cancerous brain tumor are less than 1%. Usually, symptoms like a headache or confusion are just your body’s way of telling you to hydrate or sleep more.
But rarely, these symptoms can signal a bigger problem.
Unfortunately, the warning signs of a brain tumor can be as diverse as the brain’s endless list of responsibilities. “There is no specific sign for a brain tumor,” says neurosurgeon Gene Barnett, MD. “A brain tumor can present with many different signs and symptoms, depending on where it is located.”
With more than 120 types of brain tumors, symptoms run the gamut from none at all to major red flags. Ultimately, how your body sounds the alarm depends on where the tumor forms, what part of your body the effected area of your brain controls or how big the tumor is.
But to know when a symptom really spells trouble, you need to know your own body. Changes in your health can be just as telling as the symptom itself.
If you experience one or several of these signs, Dr. Barnett recommends seeing a medical professional: seizures, changes in your mental status, personality or behavioral changes, clumsiness, visual problems, limb weakness, or headaches.
A tumor can make your brain’s neurons fire wildly, leading to seizures.
Perhaps you’ve had confusion, one too many “senior moments” or more trouble than usual figuring out a restaurant bill. Your mental abilities are personal to you and so are any changes to them.
“Frontal lobe tumors, in particular, can cause happy, bubbly people to develop a flat affect or cause some normally quiet people to become more talkative,” explains Dr. Barnett. “They can also cause a loss of inhibition.”
Brain stem tumors may lead to a loss of balance or clumsy movements.
A tumor in your brain area that controls eyesight may affect your vision. Blurred, double or even loss of vision can be signs of a brain tumor.
Losing strength or weakness in an arm or leg may be a brain tumor symptom.
“But most headaches are not the result of a brain tumor,” Dr. Barnett assures. “Brain tumor headaches tend to persist for more than a few days, are associated with nausea or vomiting or occur early in the morning.”
Something most people don’t know is that the most common brain tumors don’t actually start in your brain. Brain metastases, or metastatic brain tumors, spread to your brain from other parts of your body — most often from your lungs, breasts, skin, kidneys or colon.
“A person with a known history of these cancers who develops any of these neurological symptoms should be evaluated,” Dr. Barnett says.
If you’re diagnosed with a brain tumor, Dr. Barnett says you’ll get the best care at a brain tumor center of excellence.
“These centers specialize in multidisciplinary treatment for brain tumors,” he explains.
“You have neurosurgeons who treat patients with brain tumors every day of the week. You also have radiation oncologists and neuro-oncologists or medical oncologists who primarily treat patients with brain tumors.”
These centers usually offer opportunities to participate in clinical trials, too. So, if a tumor has limited treatment options, a brain tumor center can give you access to promising new drugs or immunotherapies that may effectively treat it.
 
About Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 82,600 employees worldwide are more than 5,786 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,700 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,728-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 280 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2024, there were 15.7 million outpatient encounters, 333,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 320,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 112 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at x.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources are available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
 Sponsored Ads