Astrocytoma Symptoms

Astrocytoma is a brain tumor that can be cancerous or non-cancerous. It can develop anywhere in the brain, and the symptoms depend on where in the brain it develops. If a combination of the following symptoms associated with astrocytoma is noticed, seek medical assistance immediately, as brain tumors can be fatal.

Loss of Sensation

As a brain tumor begins to form, the parts of the brain that it is forming in can become affected and the patient will start showing symptoms. Depending on where the tumor is forming, the patient may begin to lose the ability to voluntarily move an arm or a leg, or even more specifically the ability to move a particular hand or foot. Other losses of sensation could center around the loss of vision in one or both eyes. In some cases it is not a total loss of vision, but rather a loss of peripheral vision. Double vision may begin to develop, possibly accompanied by severe headaches. These losses of sensation develop slowly over time, but the initial stages should not be ignored and medical help should be sought immediately.

Hearing

Over time, the patient may begin to notice a loss of hearing, or a difficulty in picking up lower amplified sounds. This loss of hearing may be accompanied by a loss of balance. The loss of hearing could be in the form of a slowly developing ringing in the ears, or simply finding it more difficult to hear in general as time goes on.

Speech

Astrocytoma can also begin to affect speech patterns. The patient will find it difficult to form words and to speak in general. Over time, this will become more evident and the patient will continue to lose the ability to speak.

Headaches

As astrocytoma develops, the tumor takes up more space in the skull, which puts pressure on the brain. This pressure on the brain can cause severe headaches. The pressure may appear to be similar to a sinus headache, as it will appear to originate right behind the eyes. The pain will get worse as the patient attempts to engage in any physical activity, and the patient may also find the pain to be worse at night or early in the morning. This continued headache pain could lead to nausea or vomiting.

Fatigue

As the symptoms of astrocytoma develop, the patient may begin to become lethargic. He will seem to experience fatigue regularly, even after sleeping through the night. This drowsy feeling will seem inescapable to the patient, which could lead to frustration and anxiety.

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