Cancer is often termed as a silent killer. The reason being that in many instances your body does not shout out any warning symptoms that you are affected by it. It still baffles researchers as to how a disease that causes million of death worldwide refuses to send out adequate warning signs. In more often the one the sign sent out resembles a common ailment and we usually tend to ignore those factors. With the medical advances made almost all the types of cancer can be cured but they have to be detected early. Every type of cancer has its own set of patterns and reasons why they occur. Of course in a few cases an unhealthy life style can also aid them – habits such as smoking, excessive drinking, and exposure to radiation etc. genetics can play a factor in some cases. It is estimated that there are more than 150 types of tumor cells that are known to develop into cancer.
Also, your gender can play a role too in the type of cancer that you might get. As stated earlier, cancer seldom gives out any warning signs and in many cases, the cancer cells take years to grow. You can take a necessary course of action if you know the signs to watch out for and we have detailed the same below. These signs don’t necessarily mean that you have cancer. But nevertheless, do take a note of it and get timely medical attention for these types of cancer.
6 Common Warning Symptoms Of Cancer That You Should Never Ignore:
1. Inexplicable Weight Loss:
This is one of the common symptoms in many types of cancer. The cancerous cells in many instances can extend to the liver and may impair their functionalities. This can play a damper on the appetite and can result in an improper metabolism. The weight loss can be experienced even when you take up healthy foods and stick to a proper diet. You may also feel extremely weak and fatigued most of the times. The exhaustion occurs even while you take rest. These are signs that the cancerous cells are spreading. Get a medical opinion immediately from the doctor.
2. Bowel Changes:
More than half the cancer types can affect your bowel movements and this can be a tell tale sign that you might have the symptoms. Bowel changes happen for a number of factors, but in many cases, they usually last for a few days or a week. Complete changes to your bowel movements may indicate a serious factor and in case they last for more than 4 weeks, seek medical help immediately. This is especially true for the older people. Do not ignore lengthy episodes of diarrhea or constipation lightly.
3. Fatigue And Weakness:
Apart from other medical symptoms, cancer weakens your body at all levels. It majorly affects your immune system making your prone to infections and other conditions that weaken you. These are not like the usual fatigue symptoms you might experience and you might feel it even when you take adequate rest and sleep. Also, you may be feeling exhausted for no reason at all and even while you are not doing any work. Look out if these symptoms are prolonging for more than two to three weeks and seek an appropriate diagnosis as needed.
4. Bulging And Numbness:
Cancerous cells in any region can also make them swell and bulge. Cancerous cells have a tendency to affect the blood circulation in the region leading to numbness. This numbness can occur for short durations, while in other cases these may be chronic. In many instances, the numbing sensation would be felt in the lower part of the body from your abdomen, like your feet, thighs, and soles of your feet. Fluid accumulations are also common during these times and be wary of these symptoms.
5. Shortness Of Breath:
Tumor cells in the lung region or the respiratory canal can grid lock the passage and this irks the normal breathing functions of your body. You might experience difficulty in breathing and you may in some cases experience wheezing. Though this can be experienced by other ailments too, you should not ignore the fact that such prolonged symptoms may be starting stage for a cancerous outgrowth.
6. Frequent Infections:
As stated before, many types of cancer affect the body’s immune system and in many cases completely de-activate them. This results in your body getting affected by a range of infections and viral illness. Frequent fevers, prolonged cold, fatigue and body aches may be the norm of the day. Take up medications for such ailments and in case the signs do not abide, then take a proper diagnosis to rule out any cancer conditions.
