Do you often suffer minor symptoms, sudden headaches, tinnitus, depression, but can’t find out what causes them? Very often, you would assign blame to old age, the body’s aging, or being stressed at work, and then ignore them. But beware, there is a good chance that something bad is growing in your brain!

Don’t think that the drastic change in your personality must be due to aging. Beware! It may be the warning sign of brain tumor!

In a clinical case, a vice president of a company in his prime who was originally very capable and eloquent recently began to feel incompetent and unresponsive. He became unable to remember the data reports in his company’s meetings, and was easily fatigued and did not like to talk anymore. At first, he thought it was because he had reached the age of retirement and that those symptoms were natural. But as his conditions worsened, his family started to worry that he might be at risk of developing dementia. It was only after consulting a neurologist and receiving computerized tomography examination did he discover that there was a brain tumor that was 3.5 cm in size in his forehead.

Sweet Entertainer, Xiao-lei Chen Also Suffers from Brain Tumor! Ever since she was young, she had been suffering from tinnitus and severe dizziness. She did not think much of it and did not take these symptoms seriously. In 2018, she realized that she kept slanting to the left when she walked during a game on a variety show. At the time, she was also often teased by her friends for being deaf and not being able to hear what people said well. Her sense of taste also changed drastically. She became very fond of spicy food. She only decided to seek medical attention after her friend reminded her, and found that there was a tumor 4 cm in size in her brain. The tumor that was larger than a ping-pong ball was compressing her auditory and trigeminal nerves, causing her hearing to deteriorate to that of a 70-year-old person. The change in her sense of taste that led to her becoming fond of spicy food was also due to the compression of the tumor, which numbed her tongue and face.

New Developments in Brain Surgery – The Latest Robotic-assisted Minimally Invasive Surgeries are More Precise and Stable

In the past, when people heard that there were “brain tumors and that brain surgeries were required,” they would always take it as an incurable disease and a life-threatening matter. Not only is the risk of surgery high because the brain is in charge of many central nervous systems, but it is also a great test of the medical team’s mental and physical strength as a conventional craniotomy can take more than 10 hours. But as medical technology advances, current craniotomies continue to evolve.  From stereotactic frames, traditional navigation systems, and new technology – surgical robots that specialize in the spinal region of the brain make the removal of brain tumors no longer a fearful and incurable fantasy. In the field of surgery, the medical practitioner’s goal has long been to achieve rapid recovery with minimal pain and risk to patients. The introduction of robotic technology into the operating room to assist surgeons in surgical procedures has brought greater safety and quality to human surgical practices.

Surgical robots are the fruit of technologies in minimally invasive surgery in precision medicine and can be used in more than 80% of brain surgeries and spinal surgeries. Through pre-surgical 3D images, the path of incision can be precisely planned and dangerous areas can be avoided in advance. During the surgery, an optical navigation system allows the robot arm to follow the pre-operative planning and assist the surgeon to perform the surgery. This not only reduces the impact of human error, accurately treats the lesion, and minimizes the wound, but also improves efficiency, and shortens the operation time from 6 hours to 2 hours. Patients no longer need to suffer excessive pain and psychological pressure, nor do they need to shave their heads or be fitted with pins or skull clamps.

Take All Symptoms Seriously and Seek Medical Treatment Actively

Nowadays, with the advancement of medical technology, there are actually good treatment methods for many seemingly difficult surgeries or diseases. Patients not willing to face up to the disease is the most fearful thing. Therefore, doctors also remind us that we should always be alert to the five senses of the body. If we notice any persistent symptoms or pain, we should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Do not avoid doing so or ignore them. If no cause is found, it is recommended to arrange for a general health examination. Even if a brain tumor is found, as long as the doctor carefully assesses the condition and chooses to perform a minimally invasive surgery appropriate for you, there can be positive and good treatment outcomes.

Image credit: Health 2.0 (Program Name)

Source: Health 2.0 (Program Name)