Signs and Symptoms are very important for medical diagnoses. Symptoms are the changes being felt by the patient as a result of the activity of an infection and they are not necessarily observable to other people (e.g headache, discomfort etc.) Signs on the other hand are observable changes in the body of the patient, which are visible enough for others to see.

Generally speaking, the symptoms of mesothelioma may take years to surface. At the early stages, the symptoms tend to be more general in nature so that the average patient may not take them as serious until the latter stages.

It is worthy of note that the common symptoms of mesothelioma may not necessarily confirm its presence, as they may just be pointers to completely different conditions. The signs and symptoms of mesothelioma may varies depending on the site of infection (e.g pleural versus peritoneal mesothelioma), but some symptoms are more general in nature for all types of mesothelioma.

Before moving on, here is a short video that talks about the symptoms and warning sings of mesothelioma.

 

General symptoms of Mesothelioma

  • Unexplainable loss of weight.
  • General tiredness or fatigue (even without much labour or work).
  • Blood clotting becomes challenging and problematic.
  • Anemia may surface (low Red Blood Cell count)
  • Fever or excessively high body temperature may set in
  • There may also be recurrent night sweats

Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma

  • The first and possibly the most prominent symptom is shortness of breath. This is caused by the inability of the lung to expand to its full capacity due to the thickening of its external lining that is brought about by the cancer germs.
  • Another notable symptom is Pleural effusion, which is the build-up of fluids in the chest cavity.
  • Chest pain (particularly under the rib cage) is also another notable symptom.
  • Many patients also experience painful coughs.
  • There may also be strange lumps of tissue found under the skin of the chest.
  • Loss of appetite may also show-up.
  • There may also be a profound difficulty in swallowing. 

Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma

  • There is an emergence of a strange abdominal pain.
  • There will also be a noticeable swelling in the abdominal region due to build-up of body fluids and this is called
  • There may also be strange lumps of tissue found in the abdomen.
  • Bowel obstruction also results due to the abdominal swelling.
  • Loss of appetite is also common.
  • There may also be constipation or diarrhea.

Symptoms of other types of mesothelioma

Other types of mesothelioma are actually very rare in their occurrence compared to pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, so their symptoms and signs are relatively unclear. In any case, mesothelioma itself is a very rare form of cancer.

Pericardial mesothelioma: Cancer that attacks the tissues surrounding the heart, is often accompanied by serious chest pains and breathing difficulties

Testicular mesothelioma: is often associated with a swelling or a mass of tissues surrounding the testicle. This perhaps is the most notable sign or symptom. 

Thoughts to take with you

The symptoms of mesothelioma should not be taken lightly. If you observe any of these symptoms, please be sure to contact your doctor, as an early diagnosis is always the best bet for treating any cancer type.

References

ABOUT CHRIS

Christopher Visser is the Founder of Mesothelioma Treatment Community presented on www.TreatMesothelioma.org. The largest online resource for mesothelioma treatment options and complementary therapies for not only mesothelioma but for all forms of cancer as well.

“At TreatMesothelioma.org, we listen first and provide guidance when allowed. We are a support system and our goal is to promote a real sense of hope because there is a healing power within all of us and when a person believes, anything is possible.”  – Christopher Visser

Christopher is a web-designer, blogger, and online social activist who has an incredibly strong interest in cancer-related topics. Cancer hits very close to home with Chris as he has lost four family members due to various forms of this disease.  Chris is fully committed to finding a cure.  One of his latest works and while controversial to some (due to the fact that much is not known) Chrishas founded another zero-profit organization called, Cannabidiol Life, which can be found at www.CBDOilsAndEdibles.com. It is the first medical resource and product guide in the world that comprehensively explains and helps families around the world learn about the benefits of CBD in connection with over 50 diseases and health conditions.

“It is so powerful when a group of people join together for a cause. The fire that grows from positive action is undeniably a force to be reckoned with. All it takes is a single person to rise up, take courage and ignite the tinder in the darkness in order to start a wildfire of awareness.”  – Christopher Visser 

Stay Conscious & Chic!