Doctors warn that Americans are “masking” potential signs of brain cancer with painkillers.
When a headache develops, your first instinct may be to grab a bottle of medicine or lie down in a dark, quiet room.
However, if you constantly take pills or have to stop doing your daily activities, it may be a sign of something more sinister.
Dr. Mina Lobbous, a physician at the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute, said brain cancer, which kills 18,000 Americans each year, can manifest as persistent headaches that require some type of pain reliever for relief.
He also warned that the condition can be difficult to diagnose early due to a lack of preventive screening.
Experts warned that having regular headaches that require painkillers could be a sign of brain cancer
Former Senator John McCain (left) and Beau Biden (right) died of glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer with only a seven percent survival rate.
“It is very important to consider symptoms that require more urgent evaluation, as early detection and intervention can have a significant impact on outcomes such as survival or neurological function in some tumor types,” said Dr. Lobbous. . parade.
The warning comes as cancer cases are rising among young, otherwise healthy Americans.
Dr. Lobbous cautioned that you should pay attention if you find yourself regularly opening a bottle of aspirin for headaches.
“Persistent headaches, especially new-onset severe headaches, with or without nausea, vomiting, or blurred vision, should be discussed with a provider immediately rather than relying on over-the-counter headache remedies,” he claimed.
This is especially true for patients who do not have a history of chronic headaches or migraines.
Dr. José Carrillo, a neurologist and neuro-oncologist at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in California, told Parade: “Headaches accompanied by nausea in a person who has no history of migraines should be evaluated immediately for a brain tumor.”
Pain and nausea may occur because a tumor increases pressure in the skull, especially as it grows.
According to Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida, tumor-related nausea can last at least a week, feel worse in the morning or at bedtime, and intensify after suddenly changing positions.
Dr. George Al Shamy, of Memorial Hermann in Texas, noted that headaches caused by tumors “are usually continuous” and “worse in the morning and when bending forward.”
Plus, a 2021 review in the magazine. Headache suggested that headaches are the most common symptom of brain cancer.
The American Cancer Society estimates that about 25,000 brain and spinal cord tumors will be diagnosed and more than 18,700 adults and children will die.
There are more than 125 forms of brain cancer. The most common cancers are gliomas, which form from glial cells in the brain. These help keep nerve cells in place.
About 33 percent of brain tumors are gliomas, which include a wide range of cancers, including the ultra-aggressive glioblastoma that killed John McCain and Beau Biden.
Only one in three brain cancer patients is expected to survive after five years.
However, brain cancer remains rare. According to the American Cancer Society, the overall lifetime risk of developing the disease is less than one percent.
Dr. Lobbous noted that other signs of brain cancer included seizures, vision changes, weakness, numbness, double vision, hearing changes, facial pain or numbness, and difficulty swallowing or speaking.