Help me off the ledge re: brain tumor

I'm trying to be rational but I think HA has the best of me. I am currently suffering from a very mild occasional headache - it feels like full head with no pain or maybe an occasional twinge of pain. My neck is tense. For some reason I am fixated on this being a brain tumor and needing to call my doctor and ask for an MRI. I have no neurological symptoms that I can find (I've been testing) other than the full head/dull head feeling. Sometimes the twinge of pain is at the very top of my head. Other times its near my ear. Then sometimes its near my neck at the base of my skull.

The worrying about it and dwelling on it seems to make things worse. What's a no-nonsense fact I can tell myself to reassure its not a brain tumor?

Hi Flapj, I'm not a doctor but a few years ago when I was 25, I had symptoms that were somewhat similar to yours, so I'm hoping that my experience can re-assure you that what you've got is probably not brain tumor.

Basically, I started having painful headaches that seemingly came out of nowhere, and wouldn't go away even after taking ibuprofen/paracetamol. When I would get these headaches, sometimes I felt like my vision also got quite blurry, like it was difficult to keep my eyes open, if that makes sense. After a few episodes, I paid private to go to a neurologist, who did a series of neurological examination (just basic ones, no CT scans/MRI etc.) and concluded that based on the frequency of these episodes, as well as because of my age, these symptoms were probably due to anxiety. I stopped having these episodes completely after a few months as my mental health improved, so I guess he was right all along.

Also, one thing I remember my GP saying is that, if your pain is not constant/localised/severe, it's more likely to be anxiety than anything caused by anything serious. So again, even though I'm not a doctor, it sounds reassuring to me that your headache is occasional, mild, and moves around rather than just staying in one place all the time.

Hope this helps and all the best in managing your symptoms :)

Thank you. I even had a brain MRI last year and it was clear although I suppose brain tumors can pop up suddenly and grow rapidly.

Oh that’s great to hear that your MRI last year gave you the all clear! I would suggest that if you are still worried about your symptoms, go see a GP and see if they think an MRI is warranted again this year, and if they say it isn’t, then it’s probably a good indication that you’re better off redirecting your energy and focus into improving your anxiety management :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Flapj

What's a no-nonsense fact I can tell myself to reassure its not a brain tumor?

---

The fact that you don't have the symptoms of a brain tumour? :shrug:

Tense neck? There's the blindingly obvious cause of your occasional headaches...

My FIL had a brain tumour but he didn't have headaches. He kept falling over and slurring his speech. Depending on which part of the brain is affected - symptoms will differ, but it's highly unlikely to be a brain tumour if your only symptom is an occasional headache...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Flapj

I'm trying to be rational but I think HA has the best of me. I am currently suffering from a very mild occasional headache - it feels like full head with no pain or maybe an occasional twinge of pain. My neck is tense. For some reason I am fixated on this being a brain tumor and needing to call my doctor and ask for an MRI. I have no neurological symptoms that I can find (I've been testing) other than the full head/dull head feeling. Sometimes the twinge of pain is at the very top of my head. Other times its near my ear. Then sometimes its near my neck at the base of my skull.

The worrying about it and dwelling on it seems to make things worse. What's a no-nonsense fact I can tell myself to reassure its not a brain tumor?

---

Stop testing. Stop Googling.

Get on with your day. Don't make NOT doing those things a big deal, just don't do them. Get on with your day.

Thank you. Had a good day yesterday (no headaches). Today is a little rough but I'll power thru.

I feel your pain. My HA strikes at least twice a year. I got over an episode between Jan-Mar where I convinced myself I had MND. In last three weeks it’s been a Brain Tumour and the fear consumes me. I get on ok during the day when work takes my mind off things, but it’s in the back of my mind all day, and of a night time, when there’s time after the kids are in bed to refer to Dr Google I’ll find symptoms that match how I’m feeling and they all point towards a tumour. Have had a dull headache every day now for 3 weeks, it followed a migraine episode (never had one before) and think it’s freaked me out. Obvs now I’ve got all the other classic symptoms - nausea, twitches - all almost certainly caused by an over anxious mind but nothing ever seems that rational with HA. Hope it disappears soon.... (unless, of course, it is a tumour !!!)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Villa07

I feel your pain. My HA strikes at least twice a year. I got over an episode between Jan-Mar where I convinced myself I had MND. In last three weeks it’s been a Brain Tumour and the fear consumes me. I get on ok during the day when work takes my mind off things, but it’s in the back of my mind all day, and of a night time, when there’s time after the kids are in bed to refer to Dr Google I’ll find symptoms that match how I’m feeling and they all point towards a tumour. Have had a dull headache every day now for 3 weeks, it followed a migraine episode (never had one before) and think it’s freaked me out. Obvs now I’ve got all the other classic symptoms - nausea, twitches - all almost certainly caused by an over anxious mind but nothing ever seems that rational with HA. Hope it disappears soon.... (unless, of course, it is a tumour !!!)

---

Have you visited a surgeon? to really officially diagnose you.