A brain tumour can affect the brain’s functioning if it grows large and starts pressing the nerves, tissue, and surrounding blood vessels. A lot of misconception surrounds the term tumour in general. As soon as we hear it, our mind wanders off to cancer. So, a little awareness about the topic can help debunk such misconceptions.
It may be challenging to go for a physical consultation during the pandemic. However, you can consult an online doctor with a stellar background in neurology. This way, you can seek medical advice from the best neurologists in Pune or any other city from your home. But let’s first understand a bit more about brain tumours.
Table of Contents
What is a Brain Tumour?
In simple terms, when a mass of cells grows abnormally in or around the brain, it results in a brain tumour. It is also known as a central nervous system tumour. A brain tumour can either be cancerous or non-cancerous. According to statistics, only one-third of brain tumours are malignant.
However, regardless of it being cancerous or benign, a brain tumour can significantly impact the function of the brain. A tumour may grow massive and start pushing surrounding nerves, tissue, and blood vessels. Brain tumours can also be divided into two categories depending on the origin of the tumour. If it starts in the brain, then it is primary, and if it spreads from other organs, it is secondary or metastatic.
What are the Symptoms of a Brain Tumour?
The symptoms can differ significantly depending on the type of brain tumour, location, and growth speed. Here are some of the common signs and symptoms of a brain tumour. You must consult a neurologist in Pune immediately if you experience any of them to rule out the possibility of a brain tumour.
- Sudden onset of headache
- Headaches becoming gradually severe and frequent
- Nausea and vomiting that is unexplained
- Problems in vision such as blurred, double vision, or loss of vision completely
- Loss of movement and sensation in legs or arms that are gradual
- Difficulty in balancing
- Difficulty in speech
- Unexplained confusion
- Behavioural or personality changes
- Seizures
- Problem in hearing
What are the Different Types of Brain Tumours?
The origination and the kind of abnormality in cells determine the type of brain tumour. However, a brain tumour can be classified into two simple categories, one cancerous and the other benign.
Benign Brain Tumors
Benign brain tumours are essentially non-cancerous but can be massive. These include the following:
- Acoustic Neuroma: The tumour that affects the vestibular nerve of the inner ear and the brain. It is also known as vestibular schwannomas.
- Gangliocytoma: This type of brain tumour occurs in the nerve cells or neurons and is quite rare. It affects young adults,
- Meningioma: It is the most common primary brain tumour that develops slowly. It develops in the protective layer of tissue for the brain and spinal cord, known as the meninges.
- Pineocytoma: This tumour occurs in the pineal gland that secretes melatonin. Pinoecytoma develops slowly in the gland located deep in the brain.
Malignant Tumours
Malignant tumours are cancerous and much difficult to treat. Some of these include:
- Glioma: The two-third of malignant brain tumours are gliomas. This type of brain tumour develops in glial cells that surround nerve cells.
- Astrocytoma: It is the type of brain tumour that comes under glioma and primarily develops in the cerebrum.
- Rhabdoid Tumours: These are rare types of brain tumours that are highly aggressive and spread throughout the entire nervous system.
- Medulloblastomas: These primarily occur in children and start in the cerebellum. Usually, medulloblastomas are high-grade cancers.
Conclusion
A brain tumour can either be cancerous or benign. Therefore, a patient needs to seek medical help from a neurologist in Pune before any constructive result. If you are not able to seek physical consultation, then book an appointment with an online doctor. Therefore, it is essential to seek medical advice before starting treatment for brain tumours. Hopefully, with this article, you will now be more aware of the term brain tumour.
