Medically Verified By: Dr. Ravi Sharma
'Why is my headache lasting for days?' Neurosurgeon shares the warning signs of a brain tumour beyond headaches
A persistent, throbbing headache is the most commonly recognized sign of a brain tumor. Yet, depending on that alone can cause serious delays in diagnosis. In India, Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors make up almost 2% of all cancer cases. So while awareness is key, don't assume a headache means you have a tumor.
India records around 28,000 new brain tumor cases annually, according to the International Association of Cancer Registries and the Indian Journal of Neurology. While some experts and media reports estimate the actual number could be as high as 40,000 to 50,000 cases each year, the lower figure remains the most widely accepted official statistic. Although the skull is a rigid structure with no room to expand, even a small, benign growth can exert immense pressure on specific functional zones of the brain. When this happens, the earliest warning signs often mimic everyday exhaustion, age-related decline, or minor psychiatric shifts rather than localized pain. Recognizing these subtle neurological changes is crucial for early clinical intervention.
In an exclusive interaction with TheHealthSite.com, Dr. Ravi Sharma, Senior Consultant, Neurosurgery, Paras Health Gurugram explained that a sudden, unprovoked seizure in an adult without a history is often the first big clue that they might have a tumor. When a tumor grows in the cerebral cortex, it messes with the brain's normal electrical paths, causing weird surges that lead to seizures or just brief, confused stares.
Beyond those, people can suddenly get weaker on one side. This shows up as being clumsy, dropping things, or dragging a foot while walking. The weakening usually happens on one side of the body, suggesting the tumor could be squeezing the motor cortex that's the part of the brain that controls how we move and coordinate.
The frontal lobe of the brain controls thinking, decision-making, emotions, and behaviour. When a tumor develops in this area, the changes can be so gradual that family members often mistake them for stress, depression, or the early signs of memory-related problems. A person who's typically calm and collected might get super withdrawn or cranky, and act out of character, too. Plus, they might also experience memory lapses, difficulty managing everyday tasks, or have trouble finding the words in conversations. Since these signs can slip under the radar, they can be missed or thought to be just part of getting older. So it's important to see a neurologist, especially if they get worse over time.
Tumors that develop near areas of the brain responsible for controlling vision and balance can really mess with how a person sees and moves through the world. People often get symptoms like:
Because of this, many people think it's just a typical eye issue and figure new glasses will fix it. But these changes might actually be from increasing pressure in the brain.
"When tumors press on the parts of the brain responsible for balance, they can cause dizziness, unsteadiness, and difficulty maintaining balance. As a result, people can become dizzy, walk unsteadily, or feel as if the room is spinning. This can lead to falls, signaling that the brain's having trouble processing basic sensory info," said Dr Sharma.
Waiting until you get a headache to see a doctor can seriously harm how well your treatment works. While certain aggressive brain tumors can be challenging to treat, surgery for non-cancerous brain tumors is highly successful in most cases. In India, success rates for treatments are usually between 70 and 95 percent, matching the best global results. Advanced neuroimaging, like contrast-enhanced MRIs, helps detect problems early and find good treatment options. If you have unexplained changes in how you think, act, or sense things, get help fast at a top hospital. An early visit to a specialist could make a lifesaving difference.
