brain tumour

31 August 2020

Botox for Brain Tumour Headaches?

Botox has become so connected to migraine treatment over the last few years, that we may be forgetting its possible value for other headaches.

Two patients with cancer were recently treated at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. Both had brain tumours, though of different types.

After Botox injections both patients experienced fewer headache days, shorter headaches, and less intense headaches. There were no complications, and quality of life improved.

Dr. Alexander Mauskop of the New York Headache Center comments:

It is not surprising that Botox could help headaches caused by a brain tumor. The brain itself is not pain-sensitive – neurosurgeons can cut it in an awake patient without causing any pain. Most of the pain originates in the brain covering called meninges which are innervated by the trigeminal nerve and which can be stretched and irritated by a tumor. The trigeminal nerve also provides sensation over the face and the anterior part of the head. Botox works by reducing pain signals sent from the trigeminal nerve endings to the brain.
Botox for brain tumor headaches?

The end of the story is that doctors can explore the use of Botox (onabotulinum toxin A) for headache and migraine symptoms that may have a variety of causes. The authors of this study conclude: “With careful dose and injection site adjustment based on tumor location, use of Onabotulinum toxin A injections is a safe practice in patients with diagnosis of brain tumor headaches.”

For the study abstract, see Use of Onabotulinum Toxin A as Ambulatory Treatment of Brain Tumor Headaches in 2 Ambulatory Patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center: A Retrospective Chart Review (bottom of page).

Also see: Brain Tumor or Migraine?

6 May 2014

Brain Tumor or Migraine?

James Information 0

Brain Tumour or Migraine?

Headaches are a symptom of both migraine and brain tumour. Symptoms alone can’t diagnose a tumour, but there are “warning signs” that should send you to a doctor.

See a doctor right away if:

Headache attacks get worse and/or more frequent
The pattern of headaches changes
New symptoms include changes in behaviour, weakness, confusion or dizziness

… and headache treatments aren’t helping.

Tell your doctor if:

Headaches worse in the morning or after a nap
Headaches worse with coughing, sneezing or straining
You’re experiencing vision and/or hearing problems
You smoke or have a history of cancer

Good news?

Most people with headaches (even severe ones) don’t have a brain tumour (brain tumor)
More brain tumours are non-cancerous than cancerous
Brain tumours are very serious, but there are treatments available

For more information:

6 February 2013

“Just Migraine” (trust me). Or – Brain Tumour?

James News 2

Here we go again. Another patient diagnosed with “migraine” – but let’s not check too carefully.

Kian Jones was a school boy who started experiencing symptoms familiar to many migraineurs – vomiting, vision problems, and headache.

Three times Kian was taken to the hospital. It’s just a “stomach infection” was the first diagnosis. But when symptoms didn’t go away, the new diagnosis was “migraine”.

How carefully was Kian checked out? Not very.

Kian’s mother Sabina wasn’t convinced. She started searching online – and discovered that patients were often checked out a lot more carefully at the onset of new symptoms like her son’s. For example, a CT scan was often called for.

She urged doctors to call for the scan.

And it was discovered that Kian had a brain tumour.

Thankfully, and thanks to Mom, Kian is now getting proper treatment. He is now recovering and back in school.

Now before we’re too hard on the doctors, we do need to remember that brain tumours are rare, and migraine disease is far more common. We don’t know all the details of his symptoms. A CT scan is not always called for – it does depend on the symptoms a patient has.

However, there is a continuing concern that doctors in general seem to be far too quick to “write off” symptoms as migraine. They won’t bother to diagnose the type of migraine (treatments vary depending on the type), and they won’t bother to rule out other conditions that are increasingly likely as symptoms progress.

Symptoms of brain tumour (if there are any symptoms) can be exactly the same as migraine (especially certain types of migraine). Seizures are more common with brain tumour than with migraine. But symptoms such as headaches, changes in behaviour, nausea, changes in vision/smell, problems with coordination – these are all common in both.

One possible difference is that with tumour symptoms may develop more gradually. Symptoms will increase over time, instead of coming powerfully and then disappearing as they sometimes do with migraine.

This video from the Cancer Council in Australia will help you think through some of the symptoms of brain tumour.

via: Mother saves son’s life after Googling revealed he could have a BRAIN TUMOUR not simply ‘migraines’

24 August 2009

Vertigo in Children

James Discoveries & Stats, Tips 1

Vertigo in children is a real challenge to diagnose for a number of reasons. First, children often simply don’t realize what’s going on, or they have trouble describing it. Second, vertigo can be a challenge to diagnose anyway, because there are many causes.

One of the major causes is migraine. An article out of Germany recently suggested that migraine may account for 50% of vertigo cases in children. Other causes may be epilepsy, motion sickness, and other diseases and syndromes, even tumours.

To get to the bottom of vertigo in children, it’s important to watch your child carefully and listen to what he/she is saying. Also, make sure your doctor takes the time to understand the medical history of the child. Also, the doctor must take the time to find out about other symptoms – loss of coordination, hearing loss or ringing in the ears, falls, changes in behaviour, and problems with movement patterns.

Vertigo should never be ignored, because it can be a sign of a very serious condition. Catching these conditions, including migraine, early, can be a great help in treatment.

22 January 2005

Tension headache vs Brain Tumour

James Resources, Tips 0

One reason that people finally do see a doctor is because they’re worried that the headache is caused by something "serious", such as a brain tumour. That’s an excellent reason to see a doctor, by the way, if you can’t find any other reason. Let’s not knock it! But most headaches are simply tension headaches. This excellent little article from The Times discusses the difference between some serious symptoms and some less serious, such as tension headache and brain tumour, or Meningitis and the flu. For example, a headache from a brain tumour will generally come out of the blue and get worse and worse over a matter of weeks. Tension headaches tend to come and go.

Always remember, however, not to let a little knowledge keep you from seeing a doctor and getting a proper diagnosis. If you have any kind of new headache, or if your symptoms change, you should be talking to a doctor as soon as possible. Educating yourself and getting another opinion should always go hand in hand.