do i have a brain tumor?

[adri428]

I have a feeling of pressure located on the top of my head. i can see up close but when i look at things that are far away i have to squint. im not dizzy. i have no nausea. but my back aches a little. oh and the pressure has been continuing for about 5 days now! whats wrong with me. should i go to the doctors, have my eyes checked? im really worried! thanx.

[Maggie134]

I should have added that an important sign of the hydrocephalus was relatively rapidly worsening vision.  Your Optometrist should be able to spot one of the signs of hydrocephalus which includes Papilledema, or swelling around the optic nerve.  After my surgeries, my vision improved to what it was when I was when it started to decline.  I went from being far sighted to near sighted.  My Optometrist failed to diagnose papilledema when my vision started to get even worse and changed from nearsightedness to also farsightedness.  I was just told that my accomodation was like a "rusty gate".  

Like luis123, I too, was initially diagnosed with Pseudotumor Cerebri because I was able to walk into my neurologist's office even with the severe pain that I was in because of the amout of hydrocephalus that I had.  I self-medicated with dangerously high, unrecommeded doses of Advil in order to be able to function daily.  Apparently, someone with the symptoms that I was exhibiting, should have been passing out.

Thankfully, he followed protocol and sent me for an MRI which revealed a very serious problem.  I was then urged to have emergency surgery and the OR was reserved on an emergency basis just for me.  LOL.

Take good care and don't panic now.  Just make sure that you are informed, unlike me in the beginning.  Don't settle if your gut is telling you otherwise.

I just wanted to make sure that you and anyone else reading this are armed with the information so that you don't make the same mistakes that I made.  You don't need to be hypervigilent, but just aware.

[Dr_Smita_S]

Hi
The symptoms described by you may be due to several causes like space occupying lesions (tumours), hydrocephalus, pseudotumour cerebri, eye related conditions and other neurological conditions. They may also be related to migraine or anxiety.

The exact diagnosis depends on any associated symptoms like visual disturbance or neurological disturbances as well as any past medical history of raised cholesterol, raised BP, diabetes, or any other medical problems.

You should consult a neurologist for a complete neurological examination. The exact diagnosis can be made through MRI or CT scan and physical exam. The treatment will usually depend on the cause and on the symptoms.
Take care.

[Maggie134]

Hi adri428.  Do not hesitate to get referred to a neurologist.  I went undiagnosed for a benign brain tumor for about 10 - 15 years that had been causing severe headaches and then as the symptoms started to get worse, the feeling of my head wanting to explode from the top.  Other symptoms shortly before being diagnosed included visual phenomena such as flashing "lights" of red, green, and yellow cascading down in my field of vision, tunnel vision, and visual field "cuts", including moments of complete blindness.  

These were all signs of severe hydroceplalus putting pressure on my optic nerve.  As I found out, the severe hydrocephalus from within my brain was causing the outward pressure and causing my head to feel as though it was going to explode.

I'm told that these were signs of my brain becomming dangerously close to herniating downward and therefore causing sudden death.

If I had been taken seriously back when the headaches got so severe that I got no relief from OTC pain killers, I may not have needed a dozen or so brain surgeries to place, replace, and revise bilateral shunts. since the normal pathway for the CSF to flow, had been obliterated.

When I first saw doctors about the headaches, I was diagnosed as having migraines and put on a variety of migraine meds without following protocol which would have included a complete "Migraine work-up", including an MRI or a CT scan to rule out a tumor.

I don't mean to scare you, but I can't stress enough the importance of seeing a doctor and have them follow protocol.  As a result of this negligence, I suffered many disabilities which took me out of commission until now, almost ten years post surgeries.

Good luck.

[crystalhanzelka]

Go see an eye doctor.  I have a condition called pseudotumor cerebri where spinal fluid builds up and i feel pressure too.  My eye doctor found it by my optic nerves being really swollen.  Just a try?

[luis123]

i was told by a doctor that it sounds like i have general anxiety, this was a few weeks ago. but for the first time in my whole life i've been geting headaches, and alot of pressure im my head and light headiness. can this be because of the anxiety? or can it be more serious? plus i get alot of aches in my body. what can this be?

[crystalhanzelka]

Brain tumors are so rare.  I seen an episode on ER once that showed that one Dr sticking his tongue out and it went only to one side.  That really is a sign of something wrong.  Not to say if you can stick it staright then nothing is wrong.  Pressure can be allergies, pressure headache, stress, anxiety..a whole aray of things.  If you are that concerned just follow up with your doctor.  Hope this helps.