About 19,000 Americans will have been diagnosed with primary brain cancer in 2010, according to the National Cancer Institute. Tumors are an overgrowth of abnormal cells. These cells may be cancerous or not cancerous. Symptoms of brain tumor can be specific to the location of the tumor within the brain, and a brain tumor can cause general symptoms no matter where the brain tumor is located. The brain is divided into sections, or lobes, each with its own area of specialized brain function. The temporal lobes of the brain are located just above the ears. Knowing the symptoms of a tumor in the temporal lobe of the brain may help obtain an early diagnosis, which is always important when treating cancer.
Seizures
Seizures are the most common symptom for brain tumors in the temporal lobe, according to the American Brain Tumor Association. Many people are not aware they have a brain tumor until they have a seizure. Seizures can be dramatic episodes of convulsions or small events, such as muscle twitching, unusual tastes or smells or jerking of the arms or legs.
Language Difficulties
The brain is divided into to halves, a left and a right half. One side seems dominant over the other, according to Middle Tennessee State University. If the tumor grows on the dominant side of the brain, it may impair the ability to understand and use language. One of the responsibilities of the temporal lobe is to understand sounds and spoken language. A person suffering from a temporal lobe tumor may have trouble understanding speech.
Mental Disorders
The temporal lobe is also responsible for emotions. The American Journal of Psychiatry notes mental symptoms may precede physical symptoms in cases of tumors in the temporal region. These symptoms may include hallucinations, visual illusions and states of dreaminess. Furthermore, a temporal tumor may cause mood disorders, changes in personality and other mental disorders. Merck describes anxiety and suddenly becoming uninhibited or depressed as symptoms of a brain tumor. While the American Journal of Psychiatry stops short of saying a mental syndrome is a direct result of tumor, it is reasonable to assume damage to certain areas of the brain would cause changes in the brain's activities.
Headache
Headaches are a common early symptom for most brain tumors. These headaches may be worse in the morning and ease up throughout the day. Headaches upon awakening may be so bad they cause vomiting, which then relieves the headache. Coughing, bending over or exercise may cause or worsen headaches associated with tumor. These headaches do not respond to normal headache treatments.
Vision Problems
Vision can be impaired in cases of temporal tumors. Depth perception is controlled by the temporal lobe, and this can make walking difficult, as well as other activities of daily living like using a spoon or getting dressed. Loss of balance and loss of coordination are also symptoms that can make life challenging for people suffering from a brain tumor in the temporal lobe.
