In slow-growing tumors, however, the brain can sometimes accommodate for the growth of the tumor, and the symptoms may be less pronounced. When the tumor grows rapidly, the symptoms may occur very suddenly and intensely. The headache often is on the same side of the tumor but may be located anywhere on the head. Headaches caused by brain tumors are usually nonthrobbing and worse in the morning after laying flat all night, because pressure in the brain increases when the head is down. They may be worse with exertion.
Most patients describe nausea and vomiting with the headache.
If the tumor is obstructing the ventricles, the structures that contain the cerebrospinal fluid, the headache may get worse when a person changes position. Seizures A seizure is a sudden, brief attack of uncontrolled motor activity or altered consciousness. The probability of having a seizure depends on the location of the tumor, as some parts of the brain are more prone to seizure activity than others. Some seizures may be partial, and involve only a single site in the brain. Others can affect the whole brain and result in loss of consciousness.