Lung cancer is the type of cancer that basically caused by the mutation in the DNA.So, when the cells divide, they will also form the identical cells, so that it enables the body to renew itself. But, when there is the contaminants that could stimulate the cancer like smoke, the cells will begin to grow abnormally and uncontrollably, which then will cause you the cancer, particularly lung cancer.
So, you might wonder what are the symptoms of lung cancer. In the article below, we already provide you with the various symptoms of the lung cancer. Here are the common symptoms of the lung cancer.
1. Cough
The first symptom of Lung Cancer is the cough. Cough is the condition of a common reflex action that clears your throat from the mucus or other irritants. So, the cough that commonly occurs because of the respiratory infections could go away after two weeks at very latest. But, whenever you’re having the cough related to the lung cancer, this cough could be persistent and regular.
Whenever you’re experiencing the persistent cough that lasts more than two weeks, you need to make the appointment with the doctor immediately since this is possibly the symptom of you having the lung cancer. The treatment related to cough including:
- The doctor first will look and diagnose the causes of the cough.
- The doctor then will prescribe you the antibiotics like expectorant.
- The doctor will also might prescribe you to the cough suppressant.
- If there are something wrong with the lung, such as the lung cancer, the surgery and chemotherapy will also induce.
2. Chronic Fatigue
The next symptom that could also be the indication that you’re having the lung cancer is the chronic fatigue. So, chronic fatigue is the condition whenever you feel the extreme tiredness although you’re not having enough physical activity. The sudden and rapid fatigue, in fact, is the sign of the various serious medical problems, including the lung cancer. In the case of the lung cancer, the chronic fatigue could occur because your body is under the constant attack from and works over the time to try to prevent the body from the cancerous cells. These efforts could break down the energy in the body and thus, it will lead you to chronic fatigue.
Whenever you’re having the sudden fatigue without any apparent reason, you need to seek the medical attention as soon as possible since this condition could be the sign of the lung cancer. Practicing the healthy daily habits and get adequate time of sleeps could reduce the symptoms of excessive fatigue.
3. Unexplained Fever
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the lung cancer is the unexplained fever. So, fever is the condition whenever your body elevated the body temperature as the response of the contaminants that invade the body. It is essential to say that the fever is the sign that there is something abnormal is happening in the body. So, if you’re having the fever that won’t go away in a few days, you shouldn’t ignore the symptom of it.
Whenever you’re having the unexplained fever that won’t go away after several days, this could be the sign of more serious medical conditions, including the lung cancer. The treatment related to the fever is commonly depending on the underlying cause.
4. Shortness of Breath
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the lung cancer is the shortness of breath. The shortness of breath commonly described as the condition whenever you have the feeling that you couldn’t get enough air while you breathe in. In the case of the lung cancer, the shortness of breath could occur because the lung cancer can block and narrow the airways, and also, its fluid’s tumor could build up in the chest.
So, whenever you’re facing the shortness of breath without having too much physical activity and without any apparent reason, you shouldn’t ignore it. You need to go to the doctor immediately. The lung cancer might be cured with the induction of the surgery and chemotherapy, while the symptom of the shortness of breath could be relieved by the inhaler coticosteroid.
5. Chest Pain
The next symptom and one of the most obvious thing that could indicate that you’re having the lung cancer is the pain around the chest. So chest pain is the condition whenever you’re feeling the discomfort around the chest. In the case of the lung cancer, the chest pain may result from the enlarged lymph nodes or metastasis to the chest wall and the lining around the lungs called pleura.
So, whenever you’re having the chest pain, don’t ignore it. Seek the medical treatment as soon as possible so that the lung cancer could possible diagnose earlier and you could get the positive outcome. Treatment related to the chest pain because of the heart and lung including:
- Taking medications such nitroglycerin
- Lung re-inflation for a collapsed lung.
- The surgery and chemotherapy if the main cause of the chest pain is the lung cancer.
6. Wheezing
The next symptom that also could be the indication that you’re having the lung cancer is the wheezing. So, wheezing is the high-pinched sound that occurs whenever you breathe. Commonly, wheezing sound can be heard clearly whenever you exhale. In the case of the lung cancer, the wheezing could be occurred because the lung cancer can blok and narrow the airways. When the airways blocked and narrowed, the lungs will produce the whistling sound while you breathe.
While most of the people think that the main cause of the wheezing is because the allergies or asthma, but it is wise to see the doctor whenever you’re wheezing since this condition could be the early sign of the lung cancer. The common treatment related to the wheezing are:
- Taking the inhalers to relieve the inflammation and decrease the excess mucus.
- The doctor will open up the breathing tubes with the quick-acting medications.
- In case the wheezing is caused by the lung cancer, the surgery and chemotherapy will take place.
7. Hoarseness
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the lung cancer is hoarseness. Do you know what the hoarseness is? So, hoarseness is the abnormal change in the voice. If your voice is hoarse, you may have the raspy and weak sound that totally prevent you from having the smooth and clear vocal sound. So, if you have the persistent hoarse voice, you need to give this condition the more attention.
In the case of the lung cancer, hoarseness could occur because he lung cancer could affect the nerve that controls the larynx and voice box. The common treatment related to the hoarseness is depending on the underlying cause. Whenever you’re having the hoarse voice because of the lung cancer, the surgery and chemotherapy will be inducted.
8. Unintentional Weight Loss
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the lung cancer is the unintentional weight loss. So, unintentional weight loss is the condition that occurs whenever you’re experiencing the sudden and rapid weight loss without any apparent reason. You’re suffering the weight loss whenever you’re not in a diet or having too much physical activities. In the case of the lung cancer, the unintentional weight loss could occur because the cancerous cells will always take your energy level out.
So, if you’re suffering fro the unintentional weight loss, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible since this is could be the sign of the lung cancrer and other types of cancer. Whenever the doctor diagnose that the unintentional weight loss could be occurred because of the lung cancer, the surgery and chemotherapy will take place.
9. Bone Pain
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the lung cancer is the pain around your bone. The bone pain could be occurred commonly because of the bone loss its density. But, the other serious underlying medical condition could be the common cause of the bone pain. In the case of the lung cancer, this type of cancer could spread to the bones too and this can make you feel the pain. This pain might get worse at the night when resting the back.
So, whenever you’re experiencing some pains around the bone, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible. The common treatment related to the bone pain including:
- Taking drugs to reduce the inflammation.
- Taking the antibiotics to relieve the infections and the pain.
- Taking the pain reliever.
In case you’re having the lung cancer, you will require the long term treatment plan to that diagnosis.
10. Tension Headache
The next and the common symptom of lung cancer is the tension headache. So, tension headache is the condition that can cause the mild or moderate pain around your head, neck, and also behind your eyes. In fact, some patients say that the tension headache could feel like the tight band around the forehead.
In case of the lung cancer, the tension headache could occur because the cancerous cells could also invade and affect the brain too. Also, the lung tumor could also make a pressure on the superior vena cava, which then can stimulate the headache. The common treatment related to the headache are:
- Taking over the counter medications, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
- Taking the acupuncture therapy.
- Taking the supplements that already prescribed from the doctor.
- In case you’re having the lung cancer, the doctor will also perform the surgery and chemotherapy.
11. Shoulder Pain
The next symptom that also could be the indication that you’re having the the lung cancer is the shoulder pain. So, shoulder pain is the condition whenever you’re feeling the aches around the shoulder. In the case of the lung cancer, this condition could occur because the cancerous cells could also spread and affect the bone and joint in the shoulder. While most od the people would think that the shoulder pain could be occurred because of the problems in the bone or arthritis, but the serious medical conditions like cancer could cause the shoulder pain.
Whenever you’re having the shoulder pain, it is wise for you to have the medical treatment as soon as possible. The doctor first will diagnose the underlying cause of the shoulder pain. The shoulder pain that caused by the lung cancer will need the further treatment. The surgery and chemotherapy will be induced too.
12. Swelling
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the lung cancer is the swelling. So, swelling is the condition that occurs whenever the organs, skin, or other parts of the body enlarge. This condition could occur because of the inflammation of the fluid. So, when the tiny blood vessels undergo the pressure, it will leak the fluids. Your kidney will retain the salt and water to compensate the loss. This excess fluid will cause the capillaries to excess more fluids and the lymph nodes will clear the excessive fluids. In the case of lung cancer, the cancerous cells could block the lymph nodes, which will make the parts of the body enlarged.
The treatment related to swelling commonly occurs depend on the underlying cause. If the cause of the swelling is from the lung cancer, the doctor would perform the surgery to remove the tumor. The induction of chemotherapy and radiation therapy might needed too to shrink the size of the tumor.
13. Jaundice
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the lung cancer is the jaundice. So, jaundice is the condition that occurs whenever your skin and eyes turns yellow in color. This condition commonly form because of the excessive amount of bilirubin in the body.
Bilirubin is a yellow pigment that is formed by the breakdown n the dead red blood cells in the liver. In the case of the lung cancer, the cancerous cells could spread into the liver and cause this disease.
Whenever you’re experiencing that the skin and eyes turns become yellow, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible. The common treatment related to the jaundice commonly depends on the underlying cause, not the symptom itself. Whenever you’re having the jaundice because of the lung cancer, the surgery and chemotherapy would be beneficial to treat the jaundice.
14. Blood Clot
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the lung cancer is the blood clot. So, blood clot is a mass of blood that changes from the liquids to the gel-like state. While this condition is very beneficial to prevent you from the excessive loss of blood after the injury, but the clots that form inside one of the veins would become the life-threatening disease. In the case of the lung cancer, you will likely to develop the pulmonary embolism, which is a blood clot that travel around your lungs.
Whenever you feel the chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood, you need to see the doctor as soon as possible since this disease could be the sign that you’re having the lung cancer. When you’re going to the doctor earlier, the doctor will be able to diagnose the main cause of the blood clot and the more positive the outcome that you will get.
15. Dizziness
The next symptom that could indicate that you’re having the lung cancer is the dizziness. So, the dizziness is the feeling of being lightheaded , woozy, or unbalanced. This dizziness commonly affects eyes and ears. While most of the people think that this disease is the common condition, but in case you have the dizziness that could make you faint, you need ti take this condition seriously.
Whenever you’re having the dizziness alongside with the other symptoms that already mentioned above, you need to check this disease to the doctor since it could lead you to the more serious diseases, including the lung cancer. The treatment related to the dizziness commonly depends on the underlying cause. In case you’re having the dizziness because of the cancer, the surgery and chemotherapy would take place to cure the disease.
16. Horner Syndrome
The next symptom of lung cancer is the horner syndrome. So, horner syndrome occurs when the tumor forms in the upper part of the lung, which then without a doubt would make some damage to the nerve that passes from the chest to the neck. This horner syndrome could lead you to the severe pain around your shoulder.
The additional symptoms related to the horner syndrom are:
- Drooping of one eyelid.
- Smaller pupil eye in the same eye
- Reduced sweating on the same side of the face.
17. Loss of Appetite
The next symptom that could occur whenever you’re having the lung cancer is the loss of appetite. So, loss of appetite is the condition whenever you’re experiencing the lost desire of eating, even the foods that you really like. This condition commonly is the sign of the psychological causes and also related to the health problems. Some of the health problems that related to the loss of appetite are really dangerous, including the lung cancer.
Whenever you’re having the loss of appetite that causing you loss a lot of weight, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible since this is could be the sign that you’re having the more serious medical conditions, including the lung cancer. The doctor then will diagnose the underlying cause of the loss of appetite. In case that you have the loss of appetite related to the lung cancer, the doctor would perform surgery and chemotherapy.
18. Numbness and Tinglings
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the lung cancer is the numbness and tinglings, especially around your arms and shoulder. So, numbness is the condition whenever you’re feeling the prickling sensation. In the case of the lung cancer, the cancerous cells could invade and inflame the joint and your bone, which then will lead you to the numbness and tinglings around your arm and shoulder.
While most of people think that the numbness and tingling is the common condition as the sign that specific part of the body need more blood flow, but the persistent numbness and tingling could be the sign from the more serious health problems, including the lung cancer. Seek the medical treatment as soon as possible when you’re suffering from the persistent numbness in the specific area in a regular basis. Whenever the numbness is caused by the lung cancer, the surgery could be induced by the doctor.
19. Memory Loss
The next symptom that could also indicate that you’re having the lung cancer is the memory loss. So, the memory loss could occur whenever you feel the forgetfulness in a lot amount of time. In the case of the lung cancer, the memory loss could happen because the cancerous cells already spread in the brain, which then will affect the ability of the brain to remember the things.
So, whenever you’re start to feel the memory loss and you can’t think the things that happen even in the short time ago, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible since this is the serious conditions. The doctor will perform several tests to diagnose the main cause of the memory loss, which are:
- Cognitive testing
- Performing magnetic resonance imaging.
- Performing cerebral angiography.
20. Pneumonia
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the lung cancer is the pneumonia. So, pneumonia is the infections in one or both of the lung. While the infections that can lead you to pneumonia commonly happen comes from the bacteria and viruses, the serious health conditions such as lung cancer could also stimulate the pneumonia since the cancerous cells could make the inflammation on the alveoli. The alveoli then will fill with the fluid, which cause the difficulty in breathing.
So, whenever you’re having the shortness of breath alongside with the chest pain and any of the symptom that already mentioned above, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible since you could possibly suffer from the lung cancer. The common treatment of the pneumonia related to the lung cancer are the surgery and also chemotherapy.
How to Prevent Lung Cancer
Now, after you already know everything that you need to know related to the symptoms of the lung cancer, you might wonder how to protect yourself from the lung cancer. Well, this cancer turns out to be totally preventable, which means that if you do the following things, you will be more likely to stay away from the lung cancer in your entire life. Here are the tips how to protect yourself from the lung cancer.
- Quit Smoking
Quit smoking is the most simple thing that you need to do whenever you want to protect yourself from the lung cancer. In the mattero of fact, smoking is the most important factor why you could suffer from the lung cancer. Normally, the lungs always heal themselves immediately. But, whenever you’re smoking frequently, the smoke will affect the ability of the lungs to repair. So, quit smoking right now if you want to stay away from lung cancer.
- Avoiding Asbestos and Rodon
The nextthing that you could do to prevent yourself from the lung cancer is avoiding asbestos and rodon. When you work around the asbestos or other harmful materials, just make sure that you’re limiting the exposure as much as possible.
- Maintain the Healthy Lifestyle
The next thing that you should do if you want to protect yourself from the lung cancer is maintaining the healthy lifestyle. Here are the possible healthy lifestyle that you should do to prevent yourself from the lung cancer:
- Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables everyfay on a regular basis.
- Stay away from the high-fat foods
- Avoid the excessive consumption of alcohol.
- Having the physical activity at least 30 minutes per day.
- Taking the nutritional supplements
- Getting adequate time of sleep everyday.
Now you already know everything that you need to know about the lung cancer. While this disease is considered as the life-threatening disease, but this disease is totally preventable if you’re applying the tips that already mentioned above. Stay healthy.