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Vision & Cerebral Symptoms of a Tumor

Brain tumors can cause a variety of symptoms, especially vision problems. Knowing some of the signs and symptoms of a cerebral tumor is an important step in finding the right medical treatment. As with any medical problem, seek professional advice and care from an oncologist or other specialist if you suspect you have a brain tumor.

  1. Vision Problems

    • Tumors on the occipital lobe (the back of the brain) are the primary cause of vision problems among patients with brain tumors. Symptoms include blurry vision, loss of peripheral vision, color leaching or a loss of color perception, double vision, and, in some cases, blindness. Each tumor is different and there may be a combination of these symptoms, as the location where the tumor grows varies from patient to patient.

    Balance

    • Though your inner ear is the main mechanism responsible for balance, it is the brain that interprets signals and issues commands to the body to correct your balance. Some people with cerebral tumors experience loss of balance, dizziness, vomiting or an inability to stand at all due to loss of balance.

    Behavioral Issues

    • Emotions are regulated by chemical reactions in the brain, and tumors can interfere with or prevent hormones from being secreted. When a tumor is present, this can manifest as uncontrollable mood swings, confusion or forgetfulness, irritability or a complete alteration in a patient's personality---for example, a kind person can suddenly seem cold and distant even to family members.

    Hearing

    • While the mechanism within the ear may be functioning correctly, tumors on the brain's temporal lobe can affect your ability to hear and interpret sound. Temporal lobe tumors can cause loss of hearing, auditory hallucinations and auditory distortions---for example, sounds that seem to emanate from far away even though they are close by.

    Other Symptoms

    • Various other symptoms are common among tumor patients, including slurred speech, speech that is oddly pronounced, seizures and severe headaches. Additionally, some people experience phantom feelings of movement even while sitting or lying still or lose the ability to move an arm or leg.

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