Runny Nose and Fogginess... Symptoms Worsened Within Weeks
Medical Experts: "Persistent Headaches and Vomiting Require Thorough Examination"
A case has been reported in which early warning signs, initially mistaken for cold symptoms, turned out to be a fatal brain tumor. A man in his twenties in the United Kingdom experienced mild symptoms such as headaches and a runny nose, but his condition worsened, and he was eventually diagnosed with a tumor at a late stage and passed away. This incident has once again highlighted the importance of early diagnosis.
Image related to headaches to aid understanding of the article. Not directly related to the content. Pexels
According to the Daily Mail on December 29 (local time), Kieran Singler, who lived in Warrington, Cheshire, was 22 years old in 2022 and worked as a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driver. He was in good health, even preparing for a triathlon competition at the time.
Singler first experienced a sense of fogginess and a runny nose, prompting him to take a COVID-19 test, which came back negative. Believing his symptoms were mild, he assumed it was simply a cold or the flu and continued his daily life. However, over the following weeks, his condition gradually worsened, and he began to experience severe headaches and difficulty swallowing food.
At the hospital, doctors initially suspected meningitis, but a CT scan in November of the same year revealed a brain tumor. He was then urgently transferred to the Walton Centre, a specialist neurology hospital in Liverpool.
An MRI scan showed that the tumor was blocking the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid between the brain and spine. The medical team diagnosed him with grade 3 astrocytoma, a type of brain tumor.
Kieran Singler, who was initially thought to have a simple cold but was diagnosed with a brain tumor and passed away while undergoing treatment. Daily Mail
Surgery was performed to drain the fluid that had accumulated in his brain, but after the operation, Singler suffered from short-term memory loss, high fever, and severe pain. He later had to undergo an additional procedure to divert the cerebrospinal fluid to another part of his body.
Despite undergoing radiation and chemotherapy, his condition continued to fluctuate, and Singler ultimately passed away in hospice care on December 14 last year, a week before Christmas.
According to the medical field, brain tumors can be accompanied by symptoms such as headaches, vomiting, speech difficulties, visual changes, cognitive decline, and seizures. However, in the early stages, they often present with symptoms similar to those of a cold, such as headaches, nausea, or fatigue, making timely diagnosis difficult.
Experts advise that if headaches and vomiting are persistent or do not improve with painkillers, or if sudden neurological symptoms such as memory loss or changes in vision occur, it should not be dismissed as just a cold. Instead, it is important to seek consultation with a specialist and undergo thorough examinations.
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