If you are suffering from these 7 symptoms, it might be because you have lung cancer

We all want to be healthy but sometimes, the challenges of life can prevent us from performing the medical check-ups that we need to make sure your health is fine.

Not being able to check in with your health practitioners often is not an excuse to forget to look out for signs that things are not working the way they should. Most illnesses usually begin as symptoms that are easy to ignore. Lung cancer, while a very serious illness, usually start with seemingly innocent symptoms.

To keep yourself safe, see a doctor if you are suffering from all or most of these symptoms as it could mean you are in the early stages of lung cancer.

1. Never-ending cough

You should be on the alert for a cough that lingers. Usually, cough associated with cold or infection will go away in a week or two. A persistent cough that lasts longer that this could be problematic. See a doctor so they can listen to your lungs or even have an X-ray done.

2. Change in a cough

You should pay attention to changes associated with a cough. This is most important if you are a smoker. If you find that you are coughing more often or your cough is deeper and has hoarse sound, or you are coughing up blood or more mucus than usual, see a doctor.

3. Breathing changes

If you notice you suffer from shortness of breath, or get easily breathless, these could be symptoms of lung cancer. If you notice you get out of breath after climbing a few stairs or performing tasks that you could do normally before without your breathing suffering, then get checked.

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4. Chest pain

Lung cancer can cause pain in chest, shoulders or back. If you notice any type of chest pain regardless of whether it is dull, sharp, constant or comes and goes, be on the safe side and see a health practitioner for a check-up.

5. You are wheezing

When your airways become blocked, the lungs will cause you to produce a wheezing or whistling sound when you breathe. While wheezing could be caused by treatable and less fatal illnesses, it can also be a sign of lung cancer which is why you need to call your doctor’s attention to it.

6. Hoarse voice

If there is a significant change in your voice or someone tells you that your voice sounds deeper, more hoarse or raspier, get that checked. Hoarseness can be caused by a simple cold but it could also be a symptom of something much worse if it persists for over two weeks.

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7. Weight loss

An unexplained and sudden weight loss of about 5kg or more could be associated with either lung cancer or another type of cancer. Do not ignore weight changes if you have not been trying to lose weight. It could be in relation to a health problem.

Remember, these symptoms do not only relate to you. If someone in your life seems to be going through something similar, encourage them to get checked before things get worse.

Watch the video below for more information about lung cancer.

Source: KAMI.com.gh