A connection is often made between brain cancer and headaches. One of the primary links lies in the fact that the human skull has a limited capacity. When an intruder, such as a brain tumor, takes up residence in the head, it begins to grow and expand, putting pressure upon the brain. The presence of the carcinoma disrupts the normal activities that typically occur within the skull, and swelling, pressure, and pain are often the result.
Another reason brain cancer and headaches are connected is because of a condition often referred to as hydrocephalus. Cerebrospinal fluid enters and exits the head through four ventricles in the brain. If brain cancer or a tumor is present, one or more of these ventricles may become blocked. When this occurs, the cerebrospinal fluid can build up in the head, causing pressure to be put on the brain and the meninges, membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. Headaches that are present upon waking up each morning are often the result of cerebrospinal fluid that has built up throughout the night, creating pressure upon the brain.
Headaches produced as the result of a brain tumor are often described as throbbing or pulsating. Some patients even define it as more of a pressure than an ache or pain. While brain cancer and headaches are commonly linked together, not all brain tumor patients experience headaches as a symptom. Likewise, not all headaches are the result of brain cancer.
Patients who suffer from brain cancer and headaches typically notice a marked difference between regular headaches and those that are a result of the brain tumor. In general, headaches associated with brain tumors tend to present a dull throbbing or ache either over the entire head or just at the back of the head. Additionally, pain seems to worsen when bending over. Headaches that are the result of a brain tumor tend to reoccur at the same time each day and progressively worsen throughout the course of the day.
While headaches are one of the primary symptoms of metastatic brain cancer and other brain tumors, they can also be caused by a number of other conditions or situations. A connection between brain cancer and headaches should not automatically be made simply based upon throbbing head pain or a dull ache alone. Headaches are often accompanied by a number of other symptoms when brain cancer is the culprit, such as vision and coordination problems, nausea, and dizziness.