Headache is one of the most common symptoms experienced by patients with brain tumors. There are many causes and types of headaches. If you are experiencing headaches, talk to your doctor. Your doctor is best able to listen to your concerns, review your medical and headache history, and determine next steps in your care. In some cases, headaches can be managed with medication.

Below are some of the common features of headaches in patients with brain tumors:
Steady pain that is worse upon waking in the morning and gets better within a few hours.
Persistent, non-migraine headache.
May be accompanied by vomiting.
May or may not be throbbing, depending on the location of the tumor.
May worsen with coughing, exercise, or a change in body position.
Does not usually respond to the usual headache remedies.
May be associated with new neurological problems.

Incidence
About 50 percent of brain tumor patients experience headaches related to their tumor.

Cause
Because the brain has no pain receptors, brain tumors themselves do not cause headache pain. Headaches are actually the result of pressure caused by the tumor and/or tumor-related fluid buildup on pain-sensitive blood vessels and nerves within the brain.

Brain Tumor Treatment
Treatment for brain tumors depends on a number of factors including the type, location and size of the tumor as well as the patient's age and general health. Treatment methods and schedules differ for children and adults.

Brain tumors are treated with surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Our doctors also are studying a vaccine for treating a recurrent cancer of the central nervous system that occurs primarily in the brain, known as glioma.

Depending on your needs, several methods may be used. Our team includes neurosurgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, nurses, a dietitian and a social worker, who work together to provide the best possible care.

Before treatment begins, most patients are given steroids, drugs that relieve swelling or edema. Your may receive anticonvulsant medicine to prevent or control seizures.

If hydrocephalus is present, you may need a shunt to drain cerebrospinal fluid. A shunt is a long, thin tube placed in a ventricle of the brain and then threaded under the skin to another part of the body, usually the abdomen. It works like a drainpipe. Excess fluid is carried away from the brain and is absorbed in the abdomen. In some cases, the fluid is drained into the heart.