Meningioma Brain Tumor: The Most Common Symptoms That You Should Know

By Sughra Hafeez in Health and Fitness On 16th April 2018
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What is Meningioma?

Meningioma is the type of brain tumors that grow from the layer of tissue that covers the spine and brain and may squeeze or compress nerves and vessels in the brain.

Benign meningiomas

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, "Meningioma is the most common type of primary brain tumor, accounting for about 30 percent of all brain tumors."

Around 85% of meningiomas are benign (not cancerous). Meningiomas usually grow slowly cause no symptoms and require no immediate treatment. But in some instances, benign meningiomas can cause serious problems.

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Inherited genetic syndromes

According to a New York Times article, "The only known causes for meningiomas, usually benign, are rare inherited genetic syndromes and therapeutic doses of ionizing radiation to the head and neck."

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More common in women

Meningiomas occur more often in women than in men, they’re most common in 40 to 60-year-old adults but a meningioma may occur at any age. Meningiomas are rarely found in children

According to the Mayfield Clinic, "While malignant meningiomas occur in both women and men, benign meningiomas are three time[s] more common in women."

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Serious disability

According to Mayo Clinic, "[I]n some instances, their effects on adjacent brain tissue, nerves or vessels may cause serious disability."

Symptoms of meningiomas may include any of the following:

Seizures: Seizures are sudden involuntary movements of a person’s muscles, may cause a person to pass out, stiffen, or have jerking muscle movements. Meningioma Patient frequently suffers from seizures, prevention of seizures in patients with meningioma is an important goal, because tumor-related epilepsy significantly impacts patient quality of life.

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Headaches

The most common symptoms of meningioma are headaches for weeks to months. As Meningioma grows, its increasing size can increase the pressure inside the skull which can cause frequent headaches, these headaches may worsen over time.

Visual changes

If the tumor grows large enough, vision problems may occur. Meningioma compresses the optic nerve that connects the eyes to the brain, or the part of the brain that controls vision, which can cause vision changes or complete loss of vision.

Hearing loss or ringing in the ears

If a meningioma encroaches on the cerebellum, cranial nerves may become compressed can cause hearing loss or ringing in the ears.

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Sense of smell

Meningioma grows along the nerves that run between the brain and the nose and often cause changes in your senses (eg, smelling a scent that is not really there). In addition, it can cause loss of sensation in the face or facial numbness.

Meningiomas aren’t found unless your brain is scanned, MRI scans to help determine the size, location, and type of any tumor.