Determination of diseases by external signs of a person. Symptoms of HIV and AIDS - external manifestations and stages of the disease How to recognize all diseases
In ancient times, healers did not have ultrasound machines, blood pressure monitors and laboratories, and healers determined the disease by the appearance of the patient. How to conduct a self-diagnosis of the body yourself and consult a doctor at an early stage of the disease? Master class from "Ladies' cocktail".
Skin self-diagnosis.
Face colour. Let's soberly evaluate the color of your skin. If she is bluish-pale, you are clearly anemic. A yellowish tint and a network of capillaries on the face indicate an unbearable load on the liver or tobacco abuse. Grayish skin in cores and cancer patients, a red face is a sign of pressure problems. Flabby skin becomes with disorders in the intestines, and prematurely old - with diseases of the thyroid gland. Yellowish-brown spots on the face are caused by kidney pathology, and light pigmentation is caused by pregnancy.
Face zones. Take a closer look, it seems that your temples have become sunken ... Run to sleep, or are you going to exhaust your precious body to the limit? Pimple on the nose? Perhaps, of course, you have a secret admirer, but plus there are problems with the pancreas. A rash on the forehead is a sign of problems with the intestines, on the temples - with the gallbladder. A pimple on the chin signals the imminent onset of critical days, constant rashes on the chin are a sign of gynecological diseases. Cheeks can be used to judge metabolism. A slow metabolism is "read" on chubby cheeks, an accelerated one - on sunken ones.
Hair and nails.
Now there are so many professional cosmetics for hair and nails that it would seem elementary to solve any problem associated with them. No, no and NO! No, even the most expensive cosmetics will not help if you do not cure the true cause. How to determine this reason? Take a close look at your hair and nails.
Hair loss . A well-known problem. A strengthening shampoo won't help. It's all about a sharply reduced immunity. This may be due to seasonal beriberi or past illness. In this case, it is worth drinking a good multivitamin complex, increasing the amount of vegetables, liver, fish and dairy products in the diet. And most importantly - less nervous!
Dandruff . An equally common problem. It in itself is a disease - seborrhea, but occurs with disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. So in addition to a good remedy for dandruff, try to examine the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, drink decoctions of cleansing herbs, review the menu.
Weak hair . Is your hair breaking a lot? Is there a decent amount of hair left on the comb every time? Why? Avitaminosis or metabolic disorders. The way out is to drink a vitamin complex, lead a healthy lifestyle, eat right. Dry hair becomes with kidney disease, oily - with problems with the endocrine system.
Spots and grooves on the nails . They do not appear at all for a gift, as we used to think. They reflect our digestion. White spots are witnesses of the abuse of sweets, a lack of calcium, yellow spots are a sign of a violation of fat metabolism. Longitudinal grooves on the nails appear in a person with an incorrect, unbalanced diet, transverse grooves - with a sharp change in menu components (for example, after a long trip). If such "signals" appear, do not ignore them. Review your diet, arrange a "fasting day." Do not abuse flour and alcohol.
Nail color and surface . If you have brittle nails, the body lacks calcium and vitamin A. A flat or concave nail plate is an iron deficiency. Whitish nails become with anemia, bright pink - with hypertensive patients, bluish - with cores and yellow with liver diseases. By the way, Chinese healers considered nails to be a mirror of the whole organism, especially on the legs. So take a closer look.
your nose.
The nose also has "problems". Let's learn how to decipher them.
Nose bridge. If you have a swollen bridge of the nose, this indicates inflammation in the nasal cavity or the formation of polyps. A transverse wrinkle on the bridge of the nose is a sign of thyroid disorders.
Wings of the nose. Blue-red wings of the nose - a signal of impaired blood circulation. Thick and pale wings are signs of lung disease, such are often found in smokers.
Colour. A red nose with a mesh of blood vessels occurs in hypertensive patients, a bluish nose in people suffering from hypotension. A constantly red or brownish nose indicates chronic stomach problems or alcoholism.
Other. People suffering from heart disease have a deep and elongated nasolabial fold. The tip of the nose betrays heart disease. If it is white, contact a cardiologist, you probably have problems with the body's main pump.
The language is not silent!
In a healthy person, the tongue is pale pink with a smooth longitudinal fold and normally expressed papillae. If you have any deviations from this norm - urgently find out the reason. Diagnosis should be carried out on an empty stomach, preferably in the morning.
Language zones. Tip shows the condition of your lungs. Any changes in this area indicate a violation of the respiratory system, and if they occur, seriously consider quitting smoking. The central part is a mirror of the state of the stomach and spleen. The root of the tongue shows the state of the kidneys, and the lateral edges show the liver and gallbladder.
Longitudinal fold. It reflects the condition of the spine. If this fold bends in the center, this is a sign of curvature of the spine or osteochondrosis in the lumbar region, if on the edge - in the cervical region. In this case, change your daily routine, start exercising and try to move more and sit less.
Plaque. A very high quality indicator. White dense plaque occurs with disorders in the intestines (constipation, poisoning). A yellow coating "beeps" about malfunctions of the gallbladder. Dryish plaque occurs when the body is dehydrated, and black plaque occurs with chronic, very serious changes in the functioning of the liver and bile.
Cracks in the tongue. Such "signs" appear in various diseases of the blood, the endocrine system. Usually, some taste qualities are lost in this case, i.e. you stop tasting salty, sweet, sour, or bitter. This situation requires serious investigation. Just noticed cracks - hurry to the doctor!
Tooth prints in the language along the edges appear with slagging of the body. Take a course of hydrocolonotherapy, or drink decoctions of St. John's wort and nettle - this will cleanse the body of toxins. If the imprints of the teeth appeared along the front edge of the tongue, you begin to have a neurosis and the stronger the imprints, the more serious the situation.
A little about color. As mentioned above, the tongue of a healthy person should be pink. The tongue turns red not only at elevated temperatures, but also with coronary heart disease. The darker the shade of red, the more dangerous the ongoing disease. A whitish tongue occurs with anemia, exhaustion of the body, bluish - with cardiovascular diseases. A yellowish color reveals an overabundance of bile or a liver disorder. You can even identify cancer by language. A smooth red surface of the tongue occurs with cancer or severe forms of intestinal disorders.
I think it is not worth repeating that when such symptoms are detected, one should not abuse self-medication. Consult a doctor, and in the course of self-diagnosis, you will already decide which one, confirm the diagnosis and immediately begin treatment.
I have a stomachache?
If your stomach hurts, and even more so periodically, do not rush to drink painkillers. The thing is that our internal organs are permeated with a network of pain receptors, and their irritation signals the brain about certain problems with the help of pain.
Lower abdominal pain - a signal of a violation in the work of the genitourinary system. Perhaps you are dealing with inflammation (aching pains and twitches), infectious diseases (tingling, sharp pain when urinating), or gynecological diseases (periodic or constant pulling pain). In women, this may be a signal of disease of the appendages, in men - the prostate gland.
Pain in the upper abdomen speaks of malfunctions in the work of the stomach or pancreas. Perhaps this is a simple overeating, or a consequence of eating fatty foods. But if the pain repeats several times, consult a doctor and undergo a diagnosis of the gastrointestinal tract.
Pain under the ribs on the left - most likely it is intestinal colic, if pain in the right hypochondrium, you are dealing with liver or gallbladder problems.
Sharp pain in the lower abdomen on right (less often on the left) is a sign of appendicitis. We recommend calling an ambulance. For those suffering from intestinal ulcers, such pain may indicate an exacerbation of the disease.
In any of these cases, do not delay the visit to the doctor. Taking a pill will relieve the pain, but the cause of its occurrence will not go anywhere. And remember, the disease at an early stage is treated easier and more successfully.
Self-diagnosis on other grounds.
Lips and teeth. So, take a good look at your lips. If they are dry, you are dehydrated, try to drink more fluids. Try to pinch your wrist; when dehydrated, the skin then returns to normal for a long time. Pale lips show low hemoglobin, bluish lips - heart disorders. Light brown spots on the lips are indicators of poor digestion. Cracks in the corners of the mouth appear with hypovitaminosis or kidney disease. By the way, if the corners of the lips suddenly sank to the bottom, you are on the verge of depression.
Now it's time for the teeth. White, "Hollywood" teeth are rare and, by the way, not in completely healthy people. If you have cream-colored teeth, then you have a normal fluoride balance and strong tooth enamel. Colored spots on the teeth are a signal of an imbalance in the microflora of the oral cavity and a good reason to visit the dentist! But the darkening of the teeth can be caused by long-term use of antibiotics. Well, other problems with teeth are the work of a knowledgeable dentist.
Pulse. Only specialists of oriental medicine can carry out a complete diagnosis by pulse. We just measure it in a state of complete rest. Men measure the pulse on the right hand, women - on the left. If the measurement result is more than 60, but less than 90, you are absolutely healthy. After a couple of squats and a subsequent three-minute break, 135 beats per minute is considered the norm. If the pulse is higher than these indicators, try to lead an active lifestyle, take walks in the fresh air. If the norms are greatly exceeded, contact a cardiologist and therapist and be examined, you may have diseases of the nervous or cardiovascular system.
Reading in the eyes. It is believed that only sincere people look the interlocutor in the eye. Let's go to the mirror and look into our own eyes. Hateful bags under the eyes, which betray fatigue, signal us about problems with the kidneys and bladder. Do not try to hide them, it is better to drink a diuretic collection and reduce salt intake. But if the upper eyelids swell, depression is brewing. Get some rest mentally and physically. And be sure to give your body a break: stop being nervous, get enough sleep, balance the menu. Yellowish proteins give out liver disease, a sharp yellowing is a sign of jaundice. In this case, urgently see a doctor! Narrow pupils in normal light occur in a person who is exhausted from pain. Note to vigilant parents - narrow pupils also occur when taking psychotropic drugs, drug addicts and, along with reddening of the white of the eye, after “smoking weed”. Be alert. If you pull the eyelid, the area under it turns out to be pale, your hemoglobin is lowered; if the whites of the eyes are bluish - high blood pressure. In the latter case, do not abuse coffee. And to increase hemoglobin, eat oatmeal, legumes and liver.
To pass such a self-diagnosis is a matter of five minutes. But you will be able to identify your ailments, find out the true causes of cosmetic defects and begin to fight diseases. Be sure to visit an experienced doctor. He will confirm or refute your diagnosis, and also advise effective drugs for treatment.
Recently updated!HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). HIV attacks the immune system, destroying the white blood cells (leukocytes) that help the body fight infection and disease. Testing your blood for HIV is the only sure way to tell if you have HIV. The following symptoms may help you suspect that you have HIV and then test your blood for HIV.
I. Visible symptoms of HIV
The visible symptoms of HIV are fatigue.
1. Pay attention to whether you feel acute weakness for no apparent reason.
Unreasonable weakness can be a symptom of many different illnesses, but it is also one of the constant symptoms of people infected with HIV. If weakness is the only, isolated symptom, then this is not a cause for concern regarding HIV infection, but in combination with the symptoms that we will consider below, this symptom should alert you.
- Acute weakness is not the same feeling as drowsiness. Do you feel constantly overwhelmed even after a night's rest? Do you feel more inclined than usual to take a nap after dinner and avoid strenuous activities as feel low on your strength? This is the type of weakness that should raise suspicions about HIV infection.
- If acute weakness haunts you for several weeks or months, be sure to get tested for HIV.
The first signs of HIV are causeless drowsiness.
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2. Pay attention to feelings of heat (fever, fever) or profuse night sweats.
These symptoms are characteristic of the early stages of HIV infection (acute HIV infection). Not all people infected with HIV experience these symptoms, but if they do, they usually last 2 to 4 weeks after becoming infected with HIV.
- Fever and night sweats are also symptoms of flu and colds. But they are seasons, i.e. usually occur in autumn and spring.
- Chills, muscle aches, sore throats and headaches are also flu or cold symptoms, but they can also be signs of acute HIV infection.
The first signs of HIV are enlarged lymph nodes.
3. Check for enlarged (swollen) cervical or axillary lymph nodes.
Lymph nodes increase when there is an infection in the body. This does not happen to everyone who is infected with HIV, but if this symptom is present, it increases the likelihood that you are infected with HIV.
- In HIV infection, the lymph nodes in the neck tend to swell more than those in the armpits or groin.
- Lymph nodes can swell as a result of many other types of infections, such as a cold or flu, so further testing is needed to determine the cause.
The first signs of HIV are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
4. Pay attention to bouts of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
These symptoms, which are usually associated with the flu, can also indicate early HIV infection. Get tested for HIV if these symptoms persist.
The first signs of HIV are ulcers in the mouth and on the genitals.
5. Pay attention to the presence of ulcers in the oral cavity and on the genitals.
If you have an ulcer in your mouth, with the above symptoms, then it's time to sound the alarm, especially if you rarely had ulcers before. Ulcers on the genitals may also indicate that you have HIV infection.
II. Recognition of specific symptoms
The specific symptoms of HIV are persistent dry cough.
1. Persistent dry cough
This symptom appears in the late stages of HIV, sometimes several years after HIV infection. This symptom is often overlooked, thinking that the cause of this cough is either an allergy or a cold. If you have a dry cough that is not relieved by allergy medication, then it may be a symptom of HIV infection.
The specific symptoms of HIV are erratic rashes.
2. Note irregular rashes, spots (red, brown, pink, purple) on the skin.
HIV-infected people often have skin rashes, especially on the face and torso. They can also be found in the mouth and nose. This is a sign that HIV has passed into its final stage - AIDS.
- The spots may also look like boils or bumps.
- A skin rash usually does not appear with the flu or a cold, so if you have these symptoms at the same time as the others mentioned above, contact your doctor immediately.
The specific symptoms of HIV are pneumonia.
3. Pay attention if you have pneumonia.
Pneumonia often occurs in people whose immune systems do not work properly. People with advanced HIV infection are more likely to get PCP, which is not the case in people with normal immune systems.
Specific symptoms of HIV are plaques, thrush in the mouth.
4. Check yourself for fungus, especially in your mouth.
In the later stages of HIV infection, thrush in the mouth very often develops. It can be seen as white plaques, spots on the tongue, inside the oral cavity. This is a sign that the immune system cannot function effectively.
Specific signs of HIV are nail fungus.
5. Check your nails for signs of fungus.
Nails that are yellow or brown, cracked, or broken off are common in people with advanced HIV infection. Nails become more susceptible to fungal attack than with normal immunity.
The specific signs of HIV are weight loss.
6. Determine if you have unreasonable weight loss.
Cachexia - wasting, with AIDS, body weight drops sharply.
In the early stages of HIV infection, rapid weight loss may be due to excessive diarrhea; in the later stages, this is manifested by cachexia (sudden exhaustion) and is a strong reaction of the body to the presence of HIV.
Specific symptoms of HIV are depression, memory loss.
7. Pay attention to problems with memory loss, depression or other neurological ailments.
HIV affects the cognitive functions of the brain ( memory, attention, feelings, representation of information, logical thinking, imagination, decision-making ability) at later stages. These symptoms are very serious and should not be ignored.
III. Understanding HIV
Determine if there was a risk of contracting HIV.
1. Consider if you were at risk of contracting HIV.
There are several different situations that can be very dangerous in terms of contracting HIV.
If you have had one of the following situations, then you are at risk:
- You had unprotected anal, vaginal or oral intercourse.
- Did you enjoy sharing needles and syringes.
- You have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (syphilis, chlamydia, gardnerellosis, genital herpes, etc.), tuberculosis, hepatitis B or C.
- You received a blood transfusion between 1978 and 1985, years before security measures were in place to prevent the transfusion of infected blood, or you received suspicious blood.
2. Don't wait until symptoms appear to get tested.
Many people with HIV do not know they are sick. The virus can exist in your body for over ten years before symptoms begin to appear. If you have reason to think that you may have contracted HIV, do not let the absence of symptoms stop you from getting tested. The sooner you know, the better, the sooner you can take measures to prevent infection of others and begin treatment.
3. Get tested for HIV.
This is the most accurate way to tell if you have HIV. Contact your local clinic, laboratory, AIDS center to get tested for HIV.
- Testing is a simple, affordable and reliable (in most cases) procedure. The most common test is done by examining a blood sample. There are also tests that use oral secretions and urine. There are even tests that you can use at home. If you do not have a regular doctor who can provide testing, contact your local clinic.
- If you've been tested for HIV, don't let fear stop you from getting your test results.
Knowing whether you are infected or not will change your life forever.
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- no one wants to hear such a diagnosis, and yet thousands of people in the world die from it every day. But tuberculosis, nevertheless, is still amenable to treatment, although not in all cases, but only at the initial stage. And therefore it becomes very important to detect it at the very beginning of development. So, how do you know that you are sick, what are the first signs of tuberculosis?
His insidiousness lies in the fact that he practically does not reveal himself at first. That is why in our Russian healthcare system it is customary to undergo a medical examination, and fluorography in particular, every year. It is fluorography that can reveal the appearance of the first "swallows" of pulmonary tuberculosis.
How can tuberculosis be diagnosed at an early stage?
The very first signs of infection may appear soon, but these signs usually go away on their own in a few weeks. In such cases, as a rule, a person may experience symptoms similar to - chills, fever, cough (usually dry), severe weakness. At the slightest suspicion at this stage, you need to do a test for the Mantoux reaction. On the other hand, if this is really the flu, then you can’t do mantoux during the acute period, you need to wait until the symptoms pass.
Signs of secondary tuberculosis
The appearance of new signs can occur only after a while - it can be several years or several decades. Then we will talk about secondary tuberculosis, which gives the main signs.
Secondary pulmonary tuberculosis manifests itself:
- chronic cough with sputum discharge with or without blood (usually with blood);
- fever, an increase in temperature to a mark of 37-38 degrees;
- increased sweating, especially at night;
- lack of appetite, which in turn leads to a noticeable weight loss, weight loss.
- lack of appetite, leading to malnutrition, becomes a particularly dangerous condition, as it subsequently leads to an aggravation of this condition and a weakening of the body's defenses.
In addition, people with tuberculosis may experience whistling sounds during breathing, a runny nose, and difficulty breathing. Also, a person may feel constant weakness, pain in the chest. Children become irritable, drowsy, lethargic. It is worth mentioning that the signs of pulmonary tuberculosis are more pronounced in adults than in young children. In children, the symptoms of tuberculosis are often mistaken for colds, so parents do not go to the doctors about this.
Secondary non-pulmonary tuberculosis It manifests itself with the same symptoms, but others may be added to them.
- These are signs such as frequent urge to urinate, burning and pain at the same time, sometimes blood in the urine (tuberculosis of the genitourinary system, kidneys).
- Headaches, confusion (tuberculous meningitis) may occur.
- There may be pain in the back and joints, aching bones (bone tuberculosis).
- The voice may change (tuberculosis of the larynx).
- There are constipation or diarrhea with blood (intestinal tuberculosis).
Outwardly, a person suffering from tuberculosis is practically indistinguishable from a healthy person, since thinness may not be a sign of illness.
Chickenpox is a very common disease and human susceptibility to this virus is quite strong. This means that rarely anyone manages to avoid infection. If a person does not have immunity, then upon contact with the carrier, he will definitely get sick. Basically, children from 6 months to school age are susceptible to the disease. Chickenpox epidemics occur in spring and winter, with peak incidence once every five years.
In childhood, chickenpox is easily tolerated, without complications, and manifests itself with minimal symptoms. It even happens that the temperature does not appear or it rises slightly, and the rash is manifested by rare single rashes. In this case, chickenpox may not even be recognized, attributing weakness to fatigue or manifestations of a cold.
Why know if a person had chickenpox
Adults are also susceptible to the disease if the person has not previously had chickenpox. In an adult, the disease is often severe, complications are possible. After an illness, immunity is developed for life and re-infection is very unlikely. However, there is still such a possibility. You can get chickenpox a second time if there are certain pathologies, there has been a serious malfunction in the immune system, or there are some chronic diseases. Therefore, it is important to know whether the disease has been previously transferred.
This information is very important for a pregnant woman. During this period, chickenpox can cause great harm to the unborn child and lead to severe pathologies. If a woman has not had this disease, then she needs to be vaccinated, this will save her from possible problems during pregnancy.
Such information will not hurt other adults either. This disease is tolerated worse and worse with age, and the lucky person who managed to catch it will have to go on sick leave for a long time - at least three weeks, or even more. You will never be able to bear such a disease on your feet. Therefore, it is better to prevent it by vaccinating in advance.
How to find out?
So how do you know if you've had chickenpox before? To do this, you can go in several ways. First of all, your close relatives should know this: parents, grandmothers. They had to remember things like rashes and specks of brilliant green. But the information may not be accurate, because over time everything is forgotten and it is not always possible to say for sure whether a child had chickenpox 20 or more years ago, especially if there are several children.
The second way, more reliable, is the child's outpatient card itself. If it is preserved, then this fact should definitely be recorded in it. Many mothers, when transferring their child to another clinic, require that they also give out an outpatient card in order to have all the necessary information about past diseases. However, not all clinics agree to issue a card. In addition, everyone knows that doctors are famous for their special handwriting. It may happen that you simply cannot read the inscription made by the doctor many years ago. If for some reason you could not find out about the disease, there is the most reliable method that will give you a 100% guarantee - this is a blood test for the virus.
Blood test
It is known that the chickenpox virus, called Varicella Zoster, remains in the body for life. Years later, under favorable conditions for him, he can provoke the occurrence of shingles. But basically he does not show his activity. To detect traces of this virus, there are several types of tests that we will consider.
- Immunofluorescence reaction. The analysis has a fairly high accuracy and shows whether you have antibodies to this virus. What is involved in determining the presence of antibodies? They are special proteins that the human immune system secretes. When a virus invades the body, the immune system begins to fight it, producing the appropriate antibodies. If there are such proteins in your blood, then you have already had chickenpox once, since with this disease lifelong immunity is being formed.
- Linked immunosorbent assay. This type of study is aimed at detecting antibodies to chickenpox of two types: IgG and IgM. The presence of antibodies of the first type indicates that there is a lifelong immunity to this disease and the disease was once carried by a person. If antibodies of the second type are present, then the infection is in an active state - the person is currently sick with chickenpox. Usually these proteins are present in the blood already on the 4th day of illness.
- polymerase chain reaction. With chickenpox, PCR analysis is not entirely informative. Its disadvantage is that it shows the presence or absence of a disease at the moment, but does not say anything about whether there is immunity to this disease.
When is it necessary to take an analysis
It is necessary to pass an analysis for the detection of antibodies to chickenpox in such cases:
- if a person does not want to catch the disease and is going to be vaccinated, but does not know if he had chickenpox before;
- if a person falls ill and doctors suspect he has chickenpox, but the picture of the disease is so atypical that it is impossible to accurately diagnose based on the symptoms (the rash is unusual or not at all);
- a woman is planning a pregnancy and wants to be sure that she has already had chickenpox;
- when a patient is suspected of having shingles, for an accurate diagnosis, since the symptoms of this disease can also signal other diseases.
Such doctors can refer to this blood test: an infectious disease specialist, an obstetrician-gynecologist, a therapist. In each case, a different type of analysis is used, which is taken into account by the attending physician. Anyone can take this test if they wish.
Conducting the analysis and its results
Recommendations for preparing for the test are the same as for the general blood test. They must be followed in order to get an accurate answer. The day before, stick to a diet: do not eat fatty foods, fried foods, do not drink alcoholic beverages. When using drugs, if possible, they should also not be drunk the day before. Donated blood on an empty stomach.
An enzyme immunoassay can give a negative, positive, or questionable result. The determined antibody level is compared with standard values. Exceeding the threshold value indicates the presence of antibodies, if the level is less, the result is negative.
The result printout will show one of the following values, which corresponds to one of the combinations of the two types of antibodies:
- IgG- and IgM- a person has never encountered the chickenpox virus and is not sick with it at the moment.
- IgG + and IgM + indicates that the disease was in the past, and at the moment it manifested itself in the form of shingles.
- IgG + and IgM- immunity to chickenpox is, a person once had it, but now he is healthy.
- There is no IgG- and IgM + immunity, but at the moment there is an infection with chickenpox.
A variant is possible when it is impossible to accurately determine the presence or absence of immunity. In this case, experts recommend re-analysis after two weeks. The analysis is quite simple and it is carried out in almost any clinic. Currently, there is no difficulty in determining whether you had chickenpox in childhood.
Cancer in adulthood is often linked to the aging process. Nowadays, early diagnosis of cancer and modern methods of treatment help people cope with various types of this disease. We will describe how to find out if you have cancer.
What can cause cancer?
People talk about cancer so often, but few know what causes it and what doesn't. In order to separate the horror stories and the real threat of cancer, recognized world experts have compiled the following list of carcinogens:
tobacco. In the 1950s, the first study was conducted on the ability of tobacco to cause lung cancer. When calculating total cancer deaths, a quarter of them, one way or another, is associated with smoking.
Alcohol. 50% of cancers of the oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, 75% of esophageal cancer are associated with excessive alcohol intake. For some reason, this information does not frighten the Russians, judging by the fact that according to the Russian narcology, there are 7 million officially identified alcoholics.
Canned vegetables. Before the invention of refrigerators, canning was very popular all over the world, as was stomach cancer.
Dye. It is called one of the causes of bladder cancer and lung cancer. We are talking only about people who are constantly in contact with paint - professional painters.
Teflon coatings. There are many studies that indicate that the use of non-stick coatings can cause cancer.
Work in night shifts. Scientists believe that working at night can cause cancer. The fact is that, when working constantly on a night shift, the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates the biological clock, can be disrupted.
Cell Phones. Since the advent of mobile phones, they have been blamed for all human ills, and cancer is no exception. But this time, scientists disagreed, some argue that the mobile phone should be considered a possible cause of cancer, while others have not found a link between phones and cancer. In any case, it is better to play it safe and not use your mobile for long conversations.
How to know if you have cancer by symptoms.
In order to detect a cancerous tumor in the body in time, it is necessary to listen to it. You can find out if a person has cancer by the general and specific symptoms of this disease.
Common symptoms of cancer include:
Unexplained weight loss. During a certain period of the disease, most people with cancer experience a sharp drop in weight. Unexplained weight loss of 4-5 kg is the first sign of cancer of the stomach, lung, esophagus or pancreas.
Fever (high temperature). With cancer, especially with a common process, an increase in temperature is very often observed.
Increased fatigue. This symptom may mean the progression of the disease in the human body, occurs with cancer of the stomach or colon.
Pain. It may be an early sign of tumors.
Skin changes. In addition to skin tumors, there are some types of internal cancers that can cause yellowing, darkening, redness, itching, or excessive hair growth.
Specific symptoms of cancer include:
violation of the stool or the work of the bladder;
non-healing ulcer or wound;
unusual discharge or bleeding;
tumor formation or compaction in the mammary gland (sometimes in other parts of the body);
difficulty swallowing, indigestion;
Checking for conditions that may accompany cancer, or direct detection of malignancy, is called cancer screening. This method will help you figure out how to identify cancer. Diagnostic tests establish the possibility of cancer even before the general symptoms.
Screening helps doctors detect some types of cancer at an early stage, which helps to establish timely and adequate treatment. By the time symptoms appear, the cancer may already have spread to other tissues, making it harder to treat and worsening the prognosis of the disease.
Types of screenings for cancer
- Universal screening (mass):
Includes examination of all representatives of a certain age group.
- Selective screening:
Aimed at people at higher risk of developing cancer, as well as those with a family history of the disease.
Screening is not always effective. Often it leads to false positive results (when the disease is not actually present) or false negative results (when the presence of cancer is not determined). Therefore, additional examinations prescribed by the attending oncologist should be carried out in order to identify a possible disease.
Since there are many types of cancer, different symptoms are identified.
To know for sure how to determine cancer, you should initially find out the relationship with the tumor dislocation organs and the duration of observation of some symptoms.
With a long course of the disease, the tumor grows into neighboring tissues (nerves, blood vessels and other cells).
- Expenditure by the body of a large amount of energy (occurs so that mutated tissues can grow). Because of this, a person feels tired, weak, weight loss, sometimes fever for no apparent reason.
- Feeling the seal on some parts of the body. It occurs when cancer cells release toxins into the blood channels. In this case, the tumor is formed in the lymph nodes or in the general bloodstream.
- There is constant pain because the tumor can affect nerve endings or other organs.
- Changes in the condition of the skin. The skin changes color or develops unexpected pigmentation, spots on the body, and a rash or itching.
- Have persistent bleeding or other discharge from the mouth, genitals, nose, ears, or nipple.
- Open wounds or bruises form that do not respond to antibiotic treatment. Attention should also be paid to mouth ulcers that do not heal and are characterized by an unusual color (red, brown-red) and jagged edges.
- Paleness of the skin, combined with weakness and a tendency to infection. Such symptoms may indicate leukemia, bone marrow cancer, etc.
How to determine if there is cancer in advance?
Some types of cancer can be detected at an early stage under certain conditions. For this, it is recommended to use appropriate diagnostic tests.
Women who are at higher risk of developing the disease are recommended to have a mammogram before the age of 40. The procedure is performed for women who had this disease in their first-line relatives (mother, sister, daughter). As a preventive measure, older women are recommended to examine the mammary glands every two years.
It is advisable to use a Pap test or others to prevent disease in young women under 20 and a little older who are prone to have abnormal cells. For women at no risk of the disease and without an atypical pap smear screening for cervical cancer, screening should be done every 3 years, regardless of cervical cancer vaccination.
The main thing in diagnosing colorectal cancer is the definition of benign formations called polyps. They can be removed during colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy. Also, it is recommended to screen the colon and rectum by taking feces to detect occult blood. The examination should be carried out for people who have a precancer of this type of oncology, and are also aged.
The disease is defined in the presence of conditions such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Diagnosis includes special testing, sometimes a biopsy to check for the presence of a prostate-specific antigen.
The disease is determined by tomographic examination, which is recommended to be carried out annually for people aged 55 to 80 years, as well as those who have a thirty-year history of smoking.
Almost impossible to detect in the early stages. However, as a preventive measure, regular endoscopic ultrasound, as well as MRI and CT, are recommended for individuals at high risk of developing the disease due to congenital genetics and negative family history.
If the question arises: “How to determine if there is cancer?”, It is best to consult a doctor who will select the most effective way to diagnose cancer and confirm or refute your suspicions. The choice of method for determining cancer depends on the possible location of the tumor. Common basic medical tests for cancer include a blood test for cancer, a urinalysis, an MRI scan, a CT scan, a biopsy, an ultrasound, a radionuclide test, an endoscopy, a colonoscopy, a physical exam, a mammogram, and other tests.
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The information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! It is not recommended to use the described methods and recipes for the treatment of cancer on your own and without consulting a doctor!
The first symptoms of cancer: how to recognize oncology in the early stages
Cancer is a malignant neoplasm that is constantly growing and as a result can metastasize first to the nearest tissues, organs and lymph nodes, and then through the blood to any place in the body.
Before considering all the symptoms of cancer, it is necessary to clarify one small detail for readers. You must understand that even the totality of any signs may not necessarily indicate a malignant cancer. Often these are common diseases, infection, inflammation, which can manifest themselves in the same way.
Cancer of organs is only in the initial stages tied to a specific tissue, later, after development in phase 4, the tumor begins to spread metastases that can cover any organs.
To find out exactly if you have cancer, you must take a general blood test, biochemistry and tumor markers. And after confirmation, connect additional diagnostic methods: MRI, CT, ultrasound, etc. Consider all the common symptoms of cancer and how to recognize oncology?
Headache
If you have a constant headache for no apparent reason in one place, then this may also indicate brain cancer. At the same time, donating blood for tumor markers is not worth it, since the tumor does not have a specific antigen and it is better to immediately go for an MRI.
Birthmarks of an unusual and strange shape
Usually strange moles that are irregular in shape, as well as strange age spots, indicate melanoma or skin cancer. You can go first of all to donate blood for the oncomarker S-100.
Elevated temperature
If you constantly have chills, fever without additional reasons - snot and other signs indicating a cold. It is impossible to say what kind of cancer this symptom indicates. Therefore, first of all, you need to pass a general and biochemical blood test. The temperature in cancer lasts quite a long time.
Lumps in the chest
Usually indicates breast cancer in women. On palpation, it is necessary to note exactly the solid clots inside the mammary gland. In the aggregate, any mucous fluids with an unpleasant odor may be released from the chest. In this case, you should immediately go to a mammologist, who, after examination, will send you to an oncologist for examinations.
Deteriorated condition of nails and hair
When the tumor is actively developing, a large amount of antibodies and waste products are produced in the blood, and severe inflammation is possible. Plus, the neoplasm itself consumes a large amount of energy and nutrients for growth. Therefore, nails and hair may not be enough. In this case, the hair may fall out, their color becomes dull, and the nails become brittle and constantly peel off.
Bleeding from the vagina
Usually indicates cancer of the body of the uterus, ovaries. In addition, the lower abdomen may hurt. In the intermenstrual period, there may be heavy bleeding, and it also happens that blood is present in the urine.
NOTE! To quickly diagnose uterine cancer, you just need to visit a gynecologist once a year, who can recognize the disease in time. At the same time, a neoplasm is very clearly visible on the cervix.
Frequent fainting
If fainting occurs for no known reason. That could indicate brain cancer. In this case, a clinical and biochemical blood test is given, and then the doctor is already looking at the test results.
Bumps on the bones
If you have hard lumps on your legs, arms, thigh, or shoulder, then this may indicate bone cancer. But you must understand that they could arise from bruises or fractures. You should immediately consult a doctor and take an X-ray of the bones.
Distractedness and memory impairment
Indicates that a cancerous tumor has begun to grow seriously in the head. This is due to the fact that the tumor uses a lot of resources for its growth.
Decreased appetite
This is accompanied by significant weight loss. May indicate both gastrointestinal cancer and colon cancer. At later stages, it can refer to almost any oncology.
Profuse sweating
If everything was fine with you before, and then you abruptly began to constantly sweat, even in a cool room, then this may indicate a violation of the nervous system. Usually refers to a number of malignancies in the neuroendocrine region.
If you feel hot flashes in your face and throughout your body at different intervals, then this may indicate cancer of the endocrine system.
Mood change
It can indicate both brain cancer and some tumors that affect the hormonal background of a woman.
vision loss
Indicates malignant neoplasms of the optic nerve. But it may be due to severe stress, physical shocks or external factors. Also, vision falls due to genetics. Against the background, general well-being worsens.
Abdominal pain
May indicate cancer of the stomach, pancreas, or intestines. At the same time, the type of pain is similar to gastritis or an ulcer. In this case, it is imperative to undergo an examination of fibrogastroduodenoscopy (FGDS) and fluoroscopy of the stomach. The disadvantage of this group of oncology is that the first signs of cancer appear only at stage 3.
weight loss weight loss
It should be noted here that the decline is rapid and despite the fact that a person does not lose weight, does not diet and does not play sports. It usually indicates cancer in the colon, small intestine, or rectum. In addition, there may be a difficult act of defecation, a constant feeling that the intestines are full.
Skin color changes
Yellow color usually indicates pathologies in the liver and pancreas. In this case, when the color changes, the color of the sclera of the tongue may change and skin itching may appear. I would also like to add that this can also occur at the last stage of almost any cancer, when metastases reach the liver.
Labored breathing
Dry cough, later sputum appears. At the very beginning, a cough may be without any symptoms at all. After that, shortness of breath, shortness of breath, shortness of breath may appear. Indicates lung cancer, but cough may also be present in gastric cancer, but in more rare cases.
Difficult to swallow
May indicate cancer of the pharynx, throat. In this case, the tumor can grow to such a size that a person then simply cannot swallow, as well as breathe.
Heartburn
When gastric juice enters the esophagus due to a tumor. In this case, a person constantly feels severe heartburn. It can indicate both stomach cancer and duodenal cancer.
Enlarged lymph nodes
By itself, edema mainly appears on the face. This is due to the fact that the lymph nodes react to the tumor. It can indicate cancer of anything, which is why it is better to immediately consult a doctor and take blood tests.
Swelling of the upper body
Squeezing of the lymphatic vessels and circulatory system near the lungs due to a growing tumor leads to the fact that puffiness appears on the face and in the upper body. Occurs against the background of frequent smoking.
Fatigue
The tumor has waste products that are intensively produced in the blood, plus with the growth of cancer, the tumor can interfere with the normal functioning of the organ, which causes stagnation of substances. There is intoxication, pain in the head, malaise, constant weakness in oncology.
Blood in stool
Indicates bowel cancer. It may also be accompanied by a difficult act of defecation due to the fact that the cancerous tumor has already grown strongly. The stool becomes dark in color due to blood. It is necessary to urgently consult a doctor, because later, due to the tumor, the patient will not be able to go to the toilet at all. Blood appears as a result of damage to the vessels by the tumor as a result of violent growth.
Constipation, diarrhea
A general disorder of the digestive process may indicate several oncological zones: from stomach cancer to the intestines.
Difficulty urinating
It is not always accompanied by pain, usually it can already begin at stages 1, 2 of prostate cancer. This is due to the fact that the prostate gland swells and narrows the urethra. Then the man needs to make every effort and tighten the press in order to go "in a small way."
In the last stages of cancer, the act of urination may not be possible at all, and doctors put a catheter. A cancerous tumor overwhelms the nerves responsible for male libido, and the man begins to have sexual problems.
Blood in the urine
In men, it can be associated with prostate cancer, and in women, cancer develops in the uterus. At the same time, these diseases at stage 3 begin to affect the nearest organs, kidneys, liver and bladder, from which there can also be blood.
Swelling of the scrotum and penis
Testicular or penile cancer. But in the last stage of a prostate tumor, these symptoms may also appear. Plus there is swelling of the lower extremities.
Back pain
This does not always indicate osteochondrosis or inflammation in the spine. Sometimes it can be cancer of the vertebrae.
Discharge from the nipples
Accompanied by pain in the chest. Indicates the defeat of breast cancer cells with metastases. In addition, it is best to check the breast itself for lumps and if there are any, then immediately consult a doctor. The discharge itself smells bad.
What can cause cancer?
The exact causes of cancer development have not yet been established, but there are several factors and assumptions.
- Improper nutrition
- Ecology
- Work related to pesticides and chemistry.
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Genetics
- Unprotected sex and sexually transmitted diseases.
- Stress
How to detect cancer at an early stage?
Not all of the above symptoms of oncology indicate that you have a malignant tumor. But if there are at least 10 signs of cancer, then you should worry. But you must understand that it is impossible to identify the disease only by internal symptoms and it is worth resorting to other studies.
How to fully detect cancer?
- Take a blood test with a leukocyte formula
- Donate blood for biochemistry
- Tests for tumor markers.
- Biopsy of suspicious tissue.
Signs of cancer in women
Oncological diseases in women appear a little brighter in the initial stages than in men. During pregnancy, this can lead to miscarriage.
- Chest pain.
- Clots on palpation of the breast.
- Blood from the vagina.
- Pain when urinating.
- Chronic fatigue.
5 signs of oncology in men
Signs of an impending disease may appear late at stage 2.3 of cancer.
- Difficult urination.
- Burning in groin.
- Pain when urinating.
- Blood in urine and semen.
- Swelling of the genitals.
How to know if you have cancer
Regular cancer screening is necessary for every person who considers himself healthy, but in our country, neither the citizens themselves nor the doctors show oncological alertness. And this despite the fact that, by the age of 30, almost half of Russians have blood relatives who had cancer.
To a large extent, such screening could be replaced by prophylactic medical examinations, if doctors did it not for show, and citizens did not ignore the opportunities provided to them.
The main tool for the early detection of dangerous diseases, including cancer, was to be the general medical examination of the population launched in Russia in 2012. However, the expensive program, with which so many hopes were associated, in fact turned into a sham. The monitoring conducted by Roszdravnadzor showed that medical examinations are carried out formally and not in full, and work to involve people in it is carried out only among patients who came to the polyclinic for other issues. As a result, the first stage of cancer is still detected in only 10-15% of Russians. Oncologists have long drawn the attention of the Ministry of Health to this, but nothing has changed.
At the same time, the point is not only in the Ministry of Health and physicians, but also in our "ostrich" behavior - Russians try to turn a blind eye to incomprehensible symptoms as long as possible and postpone a visit to the doctor. Cancerophobia is an epidemic of the 21st century. We know perfectly well that the first place among the causes of death is occupied by cardiovascular diseases, but we are terribly afraid of an oncological diagnosis.
“People here do not trust medicine, they neglect it, they are afraid to go for a medical examination,” admits Igor Khatkov, chief oncologist of the capital, director of the Moscow Clinical Research Center. - Many even boast that they do not go to the doctors until they are completely pressed. And as a result, then both doctors and patients themselves have to perform feats. But exploits always give a worse result than systematic work. And this work should begin with the early detection of cancer, and even better - precancerous conditions.
What is screening
The word "screening" refers to mass surveys of large populations aimed at identifying asymptomatic cancer in risk groups. (When there are symptoms and complaints, it is not screening, but diagnosis). For each age and gender and for each personal and family history, there is a set of examinations. These sets are different in each country - in different regions there are different incidences, peaks at certain ages.
There are no official national standards in Russia. But in general, Western standards are suitable for our country, according to which six types of cancer are subject to screening, which account for 70% of all cases - cancer of the lungs, breast, colon and rectum, prostate, cervix and skin. So, screening for cervical cancer involves examining and taking a smear, screening for colon cancer - a stool test for occult blood and sigmoidoscopy.
“We have all this, too,” Khatkov says. - Days of free diagnostics are regularly held in Moscow, although we understand that this activity should be strengthened. But the most important thing is preventive examinations. Especially if one of the close relatives had cancer. At the same time, testing should begin at the age of 10 years less than the age at which the relative fell ill. Perhaps this examination will be divided into stages and not very convenient for a working person. But there are quite a few institutions in Moscow that have check-up programs for every age, starting from the age of 40, and examining them more quickly.”
What is dispensary
Outside the Moscow Ring Road, oncologists rely more on medical examinations. According to the chief oncologist of the Volga Federal District and the Republic of Tatarstan Rustem Khasanov, the medical examination also includes an oncological component: elements of prostate cancer screening, cervical cancer screening, mammography to detect breast cancer, and fecal occult blood analysis to determine colon diseases. And if you approach this professionally, then medical examination can be very effective. If you conduct a medical examination “for show”, without using modern methods, it will be money thrown away.
In the Krasnoyarsk Territory, at the initiative of the oncology service, the regional authorities added oncological screening to the clinical examination. All polyclinics of the region have a program aimed at detecting external types of cancer, which, unlike medical examinations, is carried out annually for people over 50 years old. And for male smokers, low-dose computed tomography of the lungs was added to this program. In addition, the region introduced financial incentives for physicians (not oncologists) for the early detection of cancer.
The problem is that in our country it is necessary to motivate not only the doctor, but also the patient, experts say. Citizens are in no hurry for medical examinations even in "advanced" Moscow. As a survey conducted by the Moscow City CHI Fund showed, far from everyone is ready to undergo medical examination on their own initiative: more than half of the respondents (67%) are waiting for an invitation by phone from their clinic, 7% will agree to this under the influence of an advertising campaign, and 9.5% not prepared for such a health check at all.
Prevention is cheaper than cure
Clinical examination in Russia is a voluntary matter. In each current year, citizens who have reached the age of 21, 24, 27, 30 and so on can undergo medical examination. According to Vera Shastina, head physician of the capital's city polyclinic No. 220, no special training is required for this. You just need to go to the clinic to your local therapist or to the department of medical prevention.
Mandatory for all age groups are a clinical blood test, determination of total cholesterol and blood glucose, urinalysis, fluorography of the lungs, electrocardiography. For women - examination by a gynecologist with taking a smear from the cervix for a cytological examination. In addition to the universal set, there are also surveys designed to identify the most likely diseases for a particular age and gender. So, the study of feces for occult blood is required for all citizens 48 years of age and older. Measurement of intraocular pressure is necessary from the age of 39. For women, starting from this age, mammography is performed. At the age of 39, 45, 51, 57, 63 and 69 years, a biochemical blood test, an ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs, kidneys, and pelvic organs are performed, and for smokers, an ultrasound of the abdominal aorta is also performed.
The second stage of medical examination is carried out for the purpose of additional examination and clarification of the diagnosis, explains Shastina. For example, if there are signs indicating a possible oncological disease of the upper gastrointestinal tract or aggravated heredity, esophagogastroduodenoscopy is performed for people over 50 years of age. And with a positive fecal occult blood test, the patient is sent for a consultation with a proctologist, and then for a colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy. “In my opinion, citizens who evade medical examinations have no moral right to blame medicine for failure. Yes, the survey will take some time. But, you see, once every three years it’s still worth spending time on yourself, ”says Shastina.