AIIMS Delhi neurologist shares how 45 year old’s migraine turned out to be severe brain tumour; shares key warning signs

Dr Rahul Chawla cautions that persistent or unusual headaches, especially with other symptoms, may be warning signs of conditions like brain tumours.

Migraines are often dismissed as a common headache or stress-related discomfort, but not all head pain is harmless. Persistent, severe, or unusual migraines can sometimes signal underlying health issues that need urgent attention. Dr Rahul Chawla, Neurologist at AIIMS Delhi, shared in his October 4 Instagram post that certain migraines could be more than just headache, they may signal serious conditions such as a brain tumour.

Severe migraines may signal serious health issues, warns neurologist.(Freepik)

Could your migraine be a sign of something more serious

He explains this with a recent case, “A 45-year-old man had been suffering from migraines for 20 years, well controlled on medication. He had stopped taking his migraine medicines six months ago and had no headache at that time. However, for the past two months, he has been experiencing constant head pain.”

Initially, the patient thought it was a migraine and self-medicated by taking migraine medicines from a pharmacy. “Even after continuously taking the medicine for a month, the headache did not subside,” Dr Chawla said. When the patient came in for consultation, the examination revealed subtle but concerning signs: a slight stutter in his voice and an unsteady gait.

An MRI revealed the cause: a tumour in the brain. Dr Chawla explains, “We call this a secondary headache. Often, a headache that feels like a migraine is not a migraine but a secondary headache, and it can have multiple causes. It is very important to identify these causes because they can be life-threatening.”

When should you worry about your migraine

He advises migraine sufferers to be alert to sudden changes, “If you have a migraine and notice a sudden increase in frequency, or if the character of the pain changes, it could indicate a structural problem in the brain. Watch out for warning signs such as severe vomiting with pain, seizures, vision problems, changes in voice, tingling or weakness in a hand or foot, or unsteady gait.”

“Structural lesions could include a tumour, a mass caused by tuberculosis, neurocysticercosis, or other conditions. In such cases, visit a neurologist and get checked immediately,” Dr Chawla cautions.

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This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.