The simple hand test that could reveal if you have a hidden brain tumour – and it takes just 30 seconds
A SIMPLE hand test could spot serious brain problems, a doctor has suggested.
The British medic who calls himself '
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A Tiktok doctor demonstrates hand test could spot serious brain problems
Credit: TikTok/@medifectious
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The test could reveal you have issues with your cerebellum
Credit: TikTok/@medifectious
It involves packing one palm on the other, both facing upwards.
Then, flip the top palm up and down as fast as you can for a few seconds. Switch hands, then repeat.
The test checks for something called dysdiadochokinesia, the impaired ability to perform rapid alternating movements.
If you struggle, you could have issues with your cerebellum - part of the brain which sits at the back and is responsible for balance and coordination.
According to the
This including stroke,
It can also be a sign of a brain tumour pressing on surrounding tissue, or a problem with the nerves themselves.
The NHS does not list this hand test as a formal diagnostic tool.
Most read in Health
It's used by neurologists as part of broader assessments, but struggling with it isn't enough to diagnose a condition on its own.
Brain Tumour facts: 10 things you should know about brain tumours
In his clip demonstrating the motion, Medifectious said: "Everyone should be able to do it.'
"If you can't do this you might want to get yourself checked."
He added that some patients are able to do the motion perfectly with one hand but have problems with the other, depending on the underlying cause.
Cancerous brain tumours are the deadliest form of cancer for children and adults under 40 in the UK.
They kill around 5,300 people each year - about 15 a day.
But even non-cancerous (
More than 12,000 people in Britain are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year. Around half of those are cancerous.
Common symptoms include
Other warning signs are mood changes, weakness on one side of the body, confusion, and problems with speech or sight.
Read more on the Irish Sun
Symptoms vary depending on where the tumour is in the brain.
Anyone who develops new or worsening headaches should see their GP. It's unlikely to be a tumour - but it's worth checking.
The most common symptoms of a brain tumour
More than 12,000 Brits are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour every year — of which around half are cancerous — with 5,300 losing their lives.
The disease is the most deadly cancer in children and adults aged under 40, according to the Brain Tumour Charity.
Brain tumours reduce life expectancies by an average of 27 years, with just 12 per cent of adults surviving five years after diagnosis.
There are two main types, with non-cancerous benign tumours growing more slowly and being less likely to return after
Cancerous malignant brain tumours can either start in the brain or spread there from elsewhere in the body and are more likely to return.
Brain tumours can cause
They can also lead to changes in personality weakness or paralysis on one side of the problem and problems with speech or vision.
The nine most common symptoms are:
Headaches
Seizures
Feeling sick
Being sick
Memory problems
Change in personality
Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
Vision problems
Speech problems
If you are suffering any of these symptoms, particularly a headache that feels different from the ones you normally get, you should visit your GP.
Source: NHS
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Keep a pen and paper – everywhere Invest in a clipboard, paper and (childproof) pen for every room in your house so that you can take calls and note down important appointments, such as hospital visits, as they come in. Don't leave remembering these up to chance! Let your kids know you've always got their back Take time to let your children know that you're on their team – and you always will be, no matter what. On a similar note, if your child also has ADHD, create an environment in which they can be their full, authentic self. Let them fidget, move around, pick up new hobbies and drop them when they lose interest, and get lost (within reason). As an ADHD adult, I still do all of these things! Above all, while I'm not yet a parent myself, one of the most important pieces of advice I could give to any current or future ADHD parents is to constantly tell their children what I wish somebody could have taken me aside and told me when I was growing up, struggling without being able to put my finger on why. 'Who you are is enough. And it always has been.'
