Headaches a Symptom of Brain Tumor and Need Investigating , say Researchers

Headaches could be the only symptom of brain tumors in many patients, say researchers.

They believe that CT scans and other neuroimaging techniques can help verify this symptom in suspected cases.

This finding comes in the wake of US guidelines suggesting reduced use of neuroimaging techniques in a bid to reduce unnecessary and costly medical tests.

"Although the intentions are laudable, these guidelines are inconsistent with the neurosurgeon's experience with patients with brain tumour," said Ammar H. Hawasli from Washington University' School of Medicine in the US, reports The Times of India

"Specifically, patients with brain tumours may present with isolated headaches in the absence of other neurological symptoms and signs," added Hawasli. . 

The researchers studied 95 patients of brain tumor. Eleven patients had a headache as the only symptom of their disease and four of these had 'new onset' headache suggesting a  need for a CT scan or neuroimaging under the new guidelines.

The rest seven had a history of migraine or headaches precluding them from 'unnecessary scans' under the new guidelines set by the  American Board of Internal Medicine Foundations.

The researchers say that this would mean more than 7 percent patients of suspected brain tumor will be overlooked for a scan under the new rules.

The doctors suggest physicians use their clinical judgement to avoid unnecessary tests.

The study appears in the journal Neurosurgery