Malignant mesothelioma is a form of cancer that can affect different parts of the body and is caused by asbestos exposure. If the condition affects the tissues surrounding the lungs, which is the most common, it is known as pleural mesothelioma. It can also occur in tissues surrounding the heart, testicles and abdomen. Early detection is extremely important for treatment, but patients often ignore the initial signs, mainly due to the lack of adequate information. Some of the common symptoms of mesothelioma are discussed below.
Pain
Patients with pleural mesothelioma often have pain in the back and sides of the chest. On the contrary, pericardial mesothelioma patients often have pain in the chest and issues like acute coughing and , heart palpitations. Those who suffer from peritoneal mesothelioma (in the abdomen) have pain around the abdominal area. The pain in mesothelioma often increases with time and requires additional medication. If the pain is mild,.over-the-counter drugs are used for relief, especially anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin. For moderate pain, opioid medications are used with regular painkillers, while for extreme pain, doctors may suggest other options.
Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma
It is often hard to detect the symptoms of pleural mesothelioma, because these often resemble to symptoms caused by other respiratory diseases. If you had a history of asbestos exposure, check with a doctor right away for symptoms like chest pain, pleural effusion, issues with breathing and weight loss. You may also have reduced appetite and fatigue, besides severe symptoms like coughing up blood.
Symptoms of Peritoneal mesothelioma
Sufferers of Peritoneal mesothelioma often have symptoms like other abdominal diseases. These include unexplained weight loss, decrease in appetite, constipation, loose motion, anemia and fever. If you had any kind of asbestos exposure and some of these symptoms, talk to a doctor right away to get a few tests done.
Symptoms of Pericardial mesothelioma
These include night sweats, chest pain, acute cough, heart palpitations and unexpected weight loss. Fluid can be detected in pericardial space, as well. Some of the other symptoms include paradoxical pulse and fatigue, often unexplained.
Symptoms of Tunica Vaginalis mesothelioma
Although rare, patients may also suffer from mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis. Since cases are limited, the symptoms are not well known. In most cases, fluid accumulation is noticed in the scrotum, besides testicular swelling.
Get checked
Check online now to know more about mesothelioma prognosis, and do not delay seeking medical help, because you might be entitled to compensation, especially for wage loss and medical bills. This is extremely important for people who had some form of asbestos exposure. Keep in mind that legal band financial can help in dealing with the medical bills, which can be higher than expected. If diagnosed in time, especially in Stage 1 and Stage 2, curative treatments as used for other cancers can be useful. Sadly, the symptoms are not always same in every case, and many patients don’t even realize that they have been exposed to asbestos.
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