Cancer pain has different causes and there are different types. You can have pain control and get support to help you manage any pain you may have.
Every cancer type has different symptoms since it depends on the location of the cancer cells and how widespread they have become. But, there are some symptoms which are the same for many various types of cancer.
Universal Cancer Signs and Symptoms
Most of them are related on how the way the body reacts to unwanted organisms. In this article we are going to present you a list of 15 cancer warning signs which majority of people assume aren’t dangerous.
A sign is a signal that can be seen by someone else – maybe a loved one, or a doctor, nurse, or other health care professional.
For example, fever, fast breathing, and abnormal lung sounds heard through a stethoscope may be signs of pneumonia.
Changes in Your Stool
Bowel movement changes typically aren’t something you’d discuss at the dinner table, but you should be comfortable discussing them with your doctor.
Changes in how often you are going to the bathroom, whether you experience constipation or diarrhea regularly, and various other characteristics of your stool are important clues as to what’s going on inside your digestive tract.
And this are often a sign of digestive tract cancer. If they’re accompanied by constant pain in the abdomen it can also be a sign of cancer.
Changes in Urination
If you notice that you have to the restroom more often than usually and you encounter pain related to urinating, can be a sign of cancers affecting the prostate or bladder.
The urinary tract includes the kidneys, the tubes connecting the kidneys to the bladder (ureters), the bladder, and the duct through which urine flows from the bladder out of the body (urethra).
Bladder cancer can often be mistaken for a urinary tract infection, because many of the symptoms overlap.
Sores
Sores are a sign of oral cancer, skin cancer, and cancer affecting the genitals. Consult your doctor immediately after you notice them.
Pressure sores are wounds that develop when the skin is damaged by constant pressure or friction. When you have cancer, you are at risk of developing pressure sores if you can’t move around very well.
If your skin is very dry or very sweaty it is also more likely to get sore. But remember there are things you can do to help prevent pressure sores.
Bleeding
Bloody stool or urine, coughing up blood or bloody discharge, it may be a sign of several cancer types. Consult your doctor as soon as possible.
Most often, bladder cancer is diagnosed after a person tells his or her doctor about blood in the urine, also called hematuria.
Gross hematuria means that enough blood is present in the urine that the patient can see it. It is also possible that there are small amounts of blood in the urine that cannot be seen.
Lumps
If you observe that your new lump or an old one is changing in size, you should definitely consult your doctor. It can be associated with several types of cancer.
Although breast cancer is the most common cancer found in women, most breast lumps are not cancer. In fact, more than 80 percent of them end up being benign.
It’s always best to see a doctor to rule out the possibility of more serious causes and to get the most effective treatment for the lump.
Indigestion
The most misdiagnosed symptom is indigestion because it is a very common issue.
You can get indigestion when acid from the stomach goes back up (refluxes) into the food pipe (oesophagus). Or you can get it if you have any irritation in your stomach. This often happens after eating (heartburn).
However, the symptom can also indicate upper digestive track cancer, especially if it’s accompanied by persistent stomach pain and difficulty swallowing.
Changes in Freckle or Mole
Most people have several normal moles on their skin and a few people have lots of them. These ‘normal moles are also called melanocytic naevi because they are made up of melanocyte cells.
Freckles are small flat brown marks that most often appear on the face and other exposed parts of the body in the summer months.
Any change in the color, shape, or size of the freckle or mole can indicate cancer, should be taken seriously and consult a doctor in case you notice anything unusual, particularly in a case of pain.
Unusual Hair Growth
In about half of people with adrenal cancer, symptoms are caused by the hormones made by the tumor.
These symptoms may be caused by an adrenal tumor or by something else. Getting the proper medical tests is the only way to find out.
Unusual hair growth, is a sign of cancer. But you don’t have to panic because there are times that it’s only something else. However, make sure to consult your doctor in order to detect the problem.
Skin Changes
Skin cancers — including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma — often start as changes to your skin.
They can be new growths or precancerous lesions — changes that are not cancer but could become cancer over time.
Red, Yellow or darkened skin is the most common warning signs of cancer but, it doesn’t have to mean that a skin change is cancer. Consult your doctor.
Pain
If you are having experiencing consistent pain like a headache or back pain, it can be an indication of some type of cancer. Any chronic pain seeks medical attention.
Cancer pain has different causes and there are different types. You can have pain control and get support to help you manage any pain you may have.
Most cancer pain is caused by the tumour pressing on bones, nerves or other organs in the body.
Chronic or persistent Fever
Having a fever means your body temperature is higher than normal. Something inside your body, such as an infection, has caused your temperature to rise.
Most commonly, fever is linked to cancer of the immune system, but it can also indicate to any type of cancer which is beginning to spread to other organs.
A number of things can cause fever. This can include some cancers, drugs and other treatment.
Unexplained weight Loss
If you are losing too much weight without exercising or a diet, it may be a symptom of cancer. According to The American Cancer Society, most cancer patients experience sudden weight loss.
Most people with cancer will lose weight at some point. When you lose weight for no known reason, it’s called an unexplained weight loss.
An unexplained weight loss of 10 pounds or more may be the first sign of cancer. This happens most often withcancers of the pancreas, stomach, esophagus (swallowing tube), or lung.
Chronic or persistent coughing
Chronic cough and scratchy throat are bought signs of cancer of the respiratory tract, such as throat or lung cancer. Consult your doctor if the cough doesn’t subside.
Types of Cough. At least half of people diagnosed with lung cancerhave a chronic cough at the time of diagnosis.
A cough may be similar to symptoms people have had in the past due to allergies or bronchitis, and therefore may not at first cause someone to be concerned about cancer
Unusual Lymph Nodes
If your lymph nodes are suddenly swollen or tender and uncomfortable, you should seek medical attention.
Prostate cancer should be always considered in the differential diagnosis of elderly men presenting with supraclavicular lymphadenopathy,
Generalized lymphadenopathy is a rare manifestation of metastatic prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy and the second most common cause of cancer-related death in men in the United States.
Fatigue
It may sound strange, but fatigue can also be a warning sign of cancer as it is the natural response of the immune system.
Some cancers can also cause blood loss, which also causes fatigue. Consult your doctor in case you feel chronically fatigued.
Source http://readanddigesthealth.com
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