Can a brain tumour cause depression and anxiety?

[Blaine26]

I will begin by admitting how terrified I am that I have a brain tumour! I have had a continuous dull headache for six weeks now and no amount of medication seems to shift it. It seems to be worse in the morning, and I have a really stiff neck. Its there all day and worse when I do exercise or bend over. The pain is tight around my head, and occasionally its tight accross the nose. Sometimes it is a tull ache and sometimes it pounds but I never have release from it. I have also been having tingling in my face, hands and feet occasionally with a twitch in my eye sometimes. Please help im terrified!!!! I have been to the doctors three times who say it is anxiety and depression and so unlikely to be a tumour they wont consider it. Now im not sure whether my depression and anxiety is the "change in personality" symptom of a tumour or if the headaches are just headaches and the depression and anxiety are causing me to believe I have a tumour? PLEASE HELP IM SO SCARED!

[tiredbuthappy]

I agree- the first thing I thought when I read your symptoms is tension headache.
I also developed an eye twitch that was attributed to anxiety. Sure enough, when I took xanax, my eye stopped twitching.

Have you had a full physical recently? Blood work to rule out other possible causes for a dull headache? Chronic sinus issues can cause consistent dull headaches as well. You could see a neurologist to rule out several things as well. I would also make sure that you get help to address the anxiety and depression. You may find that as is addressed, your headaches may fade. Or, if you see a mental health professional and they feel as though anxiety isn't the cause of your headaches, then you can move forward and press your doctors harder for more testing.

If I were you, I would first stop reading online about brain tumor symptoms :) I would get a full physical with blood work, and also get help to address your anxiety and depression. If none of those reveals anything, then press for more testing. Of course, if more neurological symptoms surface, you should follow up on them. But the ones you list are most likely not due to a tumor. Best of luck.

[rumpled]

What type of doctor did you see and did you get any type of scan?

In a normal exam with refexes, looking into the eyes etc, a normal doctor can pretty much rule our a brain tumor. You can also go see an eye doctor and have your optic nerve checked.

You say that you have a stiff neck and the pain is tight across your head and nose- that is pretty classic for a tension headache. Not that anyone can diagnose you on the internet nor am I trying, but once you start and idea of something else, you are only going to build up more tension and the headache will not go away.

Brain tumors are not common. Eye twitches are though, very common - they are tics. It is nerves.

Sometimes too if you take too much of an OTC medication, you can get rebound headaches. I actually did this to myself... I know it is scary, but the odds of a tumor after a doctor cleared you are pretty low.