Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 9/8/2011

Question
Hi,

I am a college student who has been diagnosed with OCD.  For several months now I have been worried about having a brain tumor.  I was also recently diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroid disease.  When I feel around my scalp and push down on a spot at the top of my head and it feels sort of soft and sensitive (not necessarily painful unless I push down rather hard), and unlike any other spot on my scalp.  Could this be a symptom of a brain tumor?  Other symptoms I have been having are difficult for me to attribute to either a tumor possibly or hashimoto's such as fatigue, and more recently I feel like I'm having more difficulty reading (although I am also aware this could be from anxiety).

Also relevant is the fact that I had a brain MRI only 4 years ago, and had a complete eye exam last month.  Do you believe these were recent enough to detect any cancers and thus I have nothing to worry about?  Would you recommend an MRI?

Please, I would greatly appreciate your answer as I am extremely distressed.

Answer
The symptoms you describe are not such that I associate them with a brain tumor. However that condition can NOT be diagnosed from afar, so I suggest that you let a local doctor (best a neurologist) check you and decide if an MRI brain scan should be made or not. Good luck!


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