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For Nikita Sterling, who suffered severe pains along with visual disturbances and intense pressure, the diagnosis was terrifying yet brought a sense of relief. Nikita said she had never sought help because the pain only happened once or twice a year. However, for the past few years, the intensity and timings both spiked. For Nikita, a secondary school psychology teacher from Kent, the pain began happening every two to three weeks. She also once lost the ability to talk. "I just couldn't think of the words I needed to say; it was really embarrassing," Nikita told The Sun. Horrifying brain tumour diagnosis A mother of two young children, Nikita said her symptoms worsened over the following months as she started having blackouts as well. Thereafter, she went to see a neurologist who investigated her case and came up with a horrifying diagnosis. After a CT scan, doctors told Nikita there was a huge mass on her frontal lobe - later diagnosed as a meningioma, a non-cancerous tumour. "I broke down; it had taken so long to reach this point," she said. "I was shocked at how big (the tumour) was, and all the extra white stuff around it on the scan was swelling, which was causing all my head pressure." She then underwent surgery, which doctors said was the best possible way to remove the tumour. Nikita had a four-hour operation to remove the mass. "It was all much harder on my family than it was for me. I remember feeling really calm and safe, but I think I'd be an absolute mess if I had to watch my husband getting wheeled away," she said. Symptoms have abated since the surgery Doctors suspected the tumour could have been growing for 20 years. Since her surgery, Nikita says her migraines have dissipated and her symptoms have eased. However, she needs to get scans every six months to monitor the situation. According to Nikita, even though she has recovered well from the operation, she now becomes fatigued more easily, which she says is the "hardest thing to deal with". What is a brain tumour? A brain tumour is an abnormal growth or mass of cells in or around your brain. Along with spinal tumours, brain tumours are known as central nervous system tumours. According to experts, brain tumours can be both malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous). While some tumours grow quickly, others are slow-growing. Doctors say only about one-third of brain tumours are cancerous, but irrespective of that, they can impact your brain function and health if they grow large enough to press on surrounding nerves, blood vessels, and tissue. Signs and symptoms of a brain tumour Many people who have a brain tumour experience no symptoms - especially if it is small. According to experts, signs of a brain tumour vary depending on its location, size, and type, which include:

• Severe headaches
• Seizures
• Difficulty thinking, speaking, or understanding language
• Personality changes
• Weakness or paralysis
• Balance issues and dizziness
• Vision issues
• Confusion and disorientation