Strangest symptoms of brain tumours revealed

Headaches and feeling sick are the common signs of brain tumours doctors warn about. 

But hearing voices, having blurry vision and suddenly losing interest in your hobbies are just some of the lesser known symptoms. 

After astrologer and TV personality Russell Grant, 71, shared his battle with brain cancer, MailOnline shares some of the stranger signs of tumours. 

Hearing voices

Hallucinating voices and hearing random sounds can sometimes indicate a mental health condition. 

But it could also be a brain tumour. 

Auditory hallucinations, as they are known, can be caused by brain tumours that are both cancerous and benign.

These hallucinations can happen if the tumour is located in the temporal lobe, the part of the brain which processes sound, understands language and encodes memory. 

It can also happen if the tumour is pressed against a nerve which sends signals from the ear to the brain. 

The NHS advises anyone who experiences hallucinations that make you see, hear, smell, taste or feel things that appear real but are not, to seek medical help.

Being clumsy

Tripping over, losing your balance and dropping things is also a potential sign of a brain tumour.

It can happen if a tumour forms on the brain stem, where your brain connects to the spinal cord.

As a result of its location, it could cause you to become clumsy and have trouble walking.

This is because it can interrupt the communication between the brain and the rest of the body.

Research carried out by King’s College London and led by Dr Suzanne Scott, a senior lecturer in health psychology, found many sufferers dismiss a lack of balance. 

The study of 39 brain cancer sufferers found many thought losing balance and getting ‘clumsy’ was just a part of getting older. 

If a tumour forms on the brain stem, where your brain connects to the spinal cord, it could cause you to become clumsy and lose your balance

Loss of interest in hobbies 

Deciding to give up a hobby doesn’t necessarily mean you have got a brain tumour, but suddenly losing interest in your favourite could potentially be a warning sign.  

As many as one in three people with a brain tumour experience a personality change, according to the Brain Tumour Charity. 

When a tumour grows it can put pressure on the other healthy cells around it. 

If a tumour develops in the frontal lobe, which controls your emotions and personality and behaviour, you can even start acting strangely. 

But it is important to catch these symptoms early. 

Only 40 per cent of brain cancer patients live more than a year after diagnosis and only 20 per cent survive five years, data suggests. 

Forgetfulness

Forgetting to do everyday tasks like locking the door and turning off the oven may be hallmark signs of Alzheimer’s.

But forgetfulness could also be a sign of a brain tumour. 

Because many areas of the brain work to store and recall different types of memories, it is hard to pinpoint how different brain tumours will affect people’s memory, according to the Brain Tumour Charity.  

The charity explains that forgetfulness is more likely to be experienced if the tumour is in the frontal or temporal lobes of the brain, which is where memories are stored. 

As many as one in two people experience memory difficulties caused by a brain tumour or its treatment, the Brain Tumour Charity says.  

Ear or tooth pain

Toothache or a pain in your ear is not something you ignore. 

But, in rare cases, it could be a sign of something more serious, including a tumour. 

A tumour can stop parts of the brain from working normally and, depending on its position, it can cause ear problems and tooth pain, according to cancer charity Macmillan. 

An acoustic neuroma is a benign brain tumour that can cause toothache. This type of tumour can also be responsible for hearing loss, according to the NHS.  

You could experience ear pain and hearing difficulties if the tumour is pushing against your cranial nerves located at the back of your brain, the charity says.  

A tumour can stop parts of the brain from working normally and depending on its position, it can cause ear problems and tooth pain, according to cancer charity McMillan. this can cause ear pain and tooth ache

Blurry vision 

Getting blurred vision or sight that comes and goes, even when you are wearing your glasses, could be a sign of a brain tumour. 

If the brain tumour puts pressure on the optic nerve, your vision can be drastically affected, experts say.  

You may even notice your start to get more clumsy and bump into things, especially if you lose your sight out of the corners of your eyes. 

It could make you knock into objects on your left or right side if you lose your prereferral vision.  

Blurred vison, floating shapes and tunnel vison can also be signs of a brain tumour, according to Cancer Research.