Meningiomas are tumors that grow from the meninges, which are the three layers of membranes that wrap around and serve to protect one’s brain and spinal cord. Many people think meningiomas can be ignored, as most are benign. However, they are not all benign. Sometimes meningiomas can continue to grow, leading to debilitating symptoms and potentially even causing seizures. If you’re looking for a neurosurgeon doctor in St James, contact Symeon Missios, MD, for expert care for your needs.
What are Meningiomas?
Meningiomas are not technically brain tumors. However, they are often put into this category because, like brain tumors, when they grow, they can grow to cover a large amount of the surface of the brain.
Meningiomas are not cancerous. Meningiomas grow very slowly and can grow for a considerable amount of time before resulting in any symptoms. If gone unchecked for long enough, however, sometimes meningiomas can continue to grow, resulting in the subtle onset of symptoms. These symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, changes in vision, memory loss, physical weakness, or, at their worst, even seizures.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you must contact a doctor for an examination. If you are currently seeking out a neurosurgeon doctor in St James, contact us at Symeon Missios, MD, for an extensive examination.
Diagnosis:Neurosurgeon Doctor in St James
Meningiomas can be difficult to diagnose due to their subtle and slow growth rate. Its symptoms are frequently mistaken as common issues stemming from other health conditions. Meningiomas can be diagnosed in a variety of ways, but the most common and preferred method is via an MRI. In an MRI scan, meningiomas will appear as an enlarging mass growing on the outside of the brain, lining the brain tissue.
Meningiomas can also be diagnosed during surgery, which would require a surgeon to remove a piece of the tumor and examine the tissue recovered. This, however, is unlikely because it requires brain surgery to have been necessary and chosen to be performed for reasons other than the meningiomas itself. If you think you may be suffering from meningiomas, you will require a neurologist. If you are looking for a neurosurgeon doctor in St James, contact Symeon Missios, MD.
Treatment: Neurosurgeon Doctor in St James
Treatment for meningioma can differ based on factors such as its growth rate and current size, as well as your overall health. A small and slow-growing meningioma may not require immediate treatment or intervention. Often a doctor will only advise that a patient regularly returns for MRIs to make sure that it is not still growing and potentially make treatment plans if it is.
If it is determined that treatment is required, you may be asked to consider surgery. The goal of surgery would be to remove as much of the meningioma that is possible, as it is not always possible to remove all of it. As should be expected, surgery always comes with risks of infection or bleeding.
Another potential method of treatment is radiation therapy. This method is often chosen because either surgery isn’t possible due to the location of the meningioma or because the surgery itself was performed but was unable to remove the entirety of the meningioma to reduce the chance of it returning.
As previously stated, meningioma is something that can only be accurately diagnosed by a neurologist, so if you believe you may be experiencing meningioma, we strongly recommend that you contact Symeon Missios, MD if you are looking for a neurosurgeon doctor in St James.