| The brain is the organ in a person's skull that controls | | | | above. Also, children below the age of 8 years are |
| the functions of all of the other organs. Together, | | | | more prone to develop it. Other risk factors include |
| the brain and spine make up the central nervous | | | | family history and exposure to radiations. |
| system. The brain is responsible for the experience | | | | Symptoms: |
| of the five senses (taste, touch, sight, hearing and | | | | With a brain tumor, neck pain can occur at times, but |
| smell). The brain is also the seat of thought, language, | | | | recurring headaches are the most frequent sign of a |
| personality, creativity and memory. The brain controls | | | | brain tumor. But diagnosis can be difficult. Most people |
| movement, sensation, balance, and coordination. In | | | | have headaches, and many have recurring headaches |
| order to do its job, the brain requires an enormous | | | | or migraines - but not a brain tumor. Headaches that |
| amount of the oxygen and nutrient energy that a | | | | are caused by brain tumors usually have other |
| person takes in regularly. | | | | symptoms that occur simultaneously. |
| Types of Brain Tumors | | | | Double vision, vomiting, or confusion are commonly |
| There are many different types of brain tumors, | | | | seen with headaches associated with brain tumors, |
| based on what cells are affected and how they | | | | but again, severe migraine sufferers can have these |
| appear under a microscope. Tumors can be classified | | | | symptoms as well. Sometimes the headaches come |
| into four general categories: | | | | while asleep, and are noticed strongly immediately |
| 1)Gliomas | | | | upon awakening, but subside after a few hours. Brain |
| 2)Astrocytoma | | | | tumors can also cause headaches that get worse |
| 3)Grade I (pilocytic astrocytoma): slow growing, with | | | | with exercise or coughing. |
| little tendency to infiltrate surrounding brain tissue. | | | | If a brain tumor is still small and fairly young, it can |
| Most common in children and adolescents. | | | | often be treated. However, most symptoms depend |
| 4)Grade II (diffuse astrocytoma): fairly slow-growing, | | | | on the size of the tumor and where it's found in the |
| with some tendency to infiltrate surrounding brain | | | | brain. For example, a benign tumor may take years |
| tissue. | | | | to grow and even longer to cause an identifiable sign. |
| Causes of a brain tumor | | | | Among the basic harbingers are relentless or continual |
| Exact and definite causes of brain tumors are still not | | | | headaches, especially those that occur at night or are |
| known and their reasons remain ambiguous. It is quite | | | | there immediately when an individual wakes up. |
| clear though that it is never contagious and a person | | | | Typically in young children, headaches happen |
| cannot "catch it" from some one having a tumor. | | | | simultaneously with vomiting or nausea. |
| Though the exact cause still eludes us, there are | | | | As you can see the different tumors exhibit different |
| certain risk factors that increase the chances of one | | | | symptoms. |
| developing the tumor. Gender is a dominant risk | | | | You need to look out for any brain tumor symptoms |
| factor. They are predominantly detected in males. | | | | and if there appears to be a problem get it check by |
| Age too is a risk factor. Majority of the cases show | | | | a qualified medical person immediately. |
| tumor developing in people at the age of 60 and | | | | |