Almost 2% of healthy individuals develop a pineal cyst. Rarely does this kind of cyst cause headaches or any other pineal cyst symptoms. Most of the time, no treatment is required for a pineal cyst. However, it is important for your case to be carefully evaluated to ensure that what you really have is a pineal cyst and not a more grave disease such as a pineal tumor.
The Pineal Gland
The pineal gland is a small structure close to the center of the brain in a region called the cerebrum, the biggest part of the brain. The cerebrum processes messages sent to your brain from other body parts and then tells your body how to react. It controls functions like speech, learning, thinking, movement and emotions. The job of the pineal gland is to produce melatonin, a hormone that helps control the sleep cycle of the body.
Pineal Cyst and its Symptoms
Cysts are sacs that can form in any parts of your body. Often, a cyst is filled with fluid, air or other stuff. A cyst that occurs within the pineal gland almost never causes pineal cyst symptoms. Thus, it’s unlikely that headaches are the effect of a pineal cyst. Most of the time, the cyst is discovered when a brain examination is performed for an unrelated condition like migraine headaches, dizzy spells or head trauma. Pineal cysts are commonly found in women aged 20 – 30 years old and are extremely rare after menopause or before puberty. This implies that hormones might play a role in causing pineal cysts.
As they don’t normally cause pineal cyst symptoms or complications, most cases of pineal gland cysts don’t need surgery or other treatments. A pineal cyst is best seen on brain MRI or magnetic resonance imaging. This kind of brain imaging is usually evaluated by a specialist like a neuroradiologist who is knowledgeable in assessing brain tumors and cysts. The physician can state the difference between a pineal cyst and another condition that might need treatment like a pineal tumor. Tumors are a strange mass of tissue and can be either cancerous or noncancerous. If a pineal tumor is discovered, treatment relies on the specific size, location and type of the tumor and the overall preferences and health of the patient. Surgery is often the very first step in treating pineal tumors.
If you are diagnosed with pineal cyst, consult your doctor about the next steps that are required. Often, follow-up imaging of the pineal cyst is suggested. Since the headaches may not be due to the cyst, talk to your doctor about other possible reasons for your headaches. Various primary headache as well as medical conditions can result in chronic headaches. For instance, tension-type headaches and migraine are common causes of recurrent headaches. Ongoing headaches may also be caused by lifestyle factors like lack of adequate sleep, diet, overuse of caffeine and stress. Addressing lifestyle issues or determining an underlying primary headache problem can help reduce the severity, duration and frequency of your headaches.
