Could my headache be a brain tumour?

3 min read

The symptoms of a brain tumour depend on which part of the brain is affected. The most common symptoms are caused by an increase in pressure in the skull – intracranial pressure – caused by the growth of a tumour in the brain.

Headaches caused by brain tumours tend to be severe and persistent, are often worse in the morning, get worse over a number of days and cause stabbing pains with activities which increase pressure in the head such as coughing, shouting, bending down or exercise.

Brain tumours can also cause eye symptoms such as squinting, worsening vision, blurred or double vision, restricted field of vision, a head tilt and abnormal eye movements such as flickering eyes.<

Any such symptoms should be investigated by your GP and an optometrist and if a brain tumour is suspected the patient is immediately referred for a scan.

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