Is My Headache Brain Cancer? Dr Oz Brain Cancer Risk Factors

Dr Oz: Brain Cancer

This episode was all about Cancer Risks, beginning with Pancreatic Cancer. Next, Dr Oz turned to Brain Cancer, sharing risk factors, solutions and research findings that you can share with friends and family. How do you know if your headache is actually cancer? Dr Oz shared advice and talked with other experts.

Is My Headache Brain Cancer?

Daily headaches could be a warning sign that something isn’t right, and it could possibly be cancer. One woman Dr Oz met said her headaches were worst early in the morning but have been intensifying over time. She said she started feeling hot flashes from her stomach to her head, which turned out to be seizures.

Eventually she began to have Stroke symptoms such as tingling in her arm. Her doctor finally discovered a large mass growing in her brain. Thankfully, they found this in time, before it became cancerous.

Dr Oz: Healthy Vs Cancerous Brain

Dr John Boockvar said that about 50% of Brain Cancer patients reported headaches before their diagnosis. But that doesn’t mean that every headache is a sign of Brain Cancer. He said that other symptoms include loss of vision or headaches that wake you up from sleep.

Dr Oz’s comparison of a healthy vs cancerous brain included the interesting fact that a cancerous mass near the eye could alter your personality. A tumor in the back of your head could result in other behavioral changes. The headaches are caused by pressure, because there isn’t much room for the tumor to grow inside your brain.

While you sleep, the brain receives more carbon dioxide, which can result in swelling of the cells. Since your skull can’t move or expand, the pressure squeezes your brain, resulting in horrible headaches.

Dr Oz: Brain Cancer Risk Factors

What else should you watch out for? Check out these common factors.

Age

Did you know that adults age 50 and over (especially between 55-65) are at a higher risk of developing Brain Cancer?

CT Scans

Have you had three or more head and neck CT scans? This could increase your risk. Dr Boockvar suggested limiting exposure to CT scans as much as possible.

Do Cell Phones Cause Brain Cancer?

Could your cell phone be giving you cancer? This is the subject of ongoing debate, but Dr Boockvar insisted that some studies have found a definitive link between cell phone use and Brain Cancer risk. But other research has found no connection between the two. To limit your personal risk, avoid holding your phone near your brain whenever possible.

Dr Oz: Brain Cancer Fighters

What can you do to manage or mitigate your brain cancer risk? Dr Oz shared a few tips.

Cell Phone Earpiece

Try using an earpiece with your cell phone. Keeping your phone far away from your brain can immediately cut down on a huge risk factor.

Headache Diary

Dr Oz recommended tracking your headaches for at least two weeks in a notebook. Record the length of your headache, where the pain occurs in your head, and whether you treated it with anti-inflammatory or over the counter medication.

Here is the full list of information Dr Oz suggested included in your Headache Diary entries.

• Date
• Start & Stop Time
• Pain Type: Dull/Sharp/Throbbing
• Severity of Pain (1 to 5 scale)
• Location of Pain
• How Did You Treat It?
• Did Treatment Work?
• Other Comments

If you are worried about your headaches, or if you’re noticing advancing symptoms like vision loss or seizures, it’s time to call the doctor. An MRI scan could help rule out a Brain Cancer diagnosis.

Pork Products

Another surprising tip Dr Oz mentioned in lowering Brain Cancer risk is skipping foods like cooked ham, fried bacon, or processed pork. (That would be one boring barbecue.)

Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure Research

For more information about brain cancer research, or to donate to the cause, Dr Oz suggested Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure.