One thing you always hear people say about cancer is that it is best to catch it early. This is especially true with aggressive and potentially fatal types of cancer. Remember, for both men and women, no type of cancer takes more lives annually than lung cancer. The sooner you know you have it, the better your odds of beating it.
With that in mind, here are some of the early signs that you may have developed lung cancer:
- You have a persistent cough that you can never shake. It’s more than just feeling sick for a week or a month. It never leaves.
- That cough keeps getting worse. It sounds hoarse and deep. You cough up mucus and blood.
- No matter how hard breathing feels, it sounds hard. You keep wheezing — making that thin whistling sound. It sounds like there’s an obstruction so that air cannot pass through freely.
- Your weight starts falling. It’s more than just a few pounds, but keeps falling. You did not start running or eating better, so you don’t know why.
- Your voice changes. It may go along with the cough. Instead of sounding clear, it’s always hoarse and rough.
- You start having pain in your chest. It may not feel like a heart attack, but it’s significant. Doctors warn that it could be a sharp pain or a dull one, a chronic ache or something that comes and goes.
Cancer can be very hard to treat, no matter how early you catch it. Treatment can be very expensive. Make sure you know all of the legal options you have.
Source: Healthline, “Early Signs of Lung Cancer,” accessed April 13, 2018