You won't see any visible signs of colon cancer until it is already in a more advanced stage. This is the biggest challenge in understanding colon cancer. You may also experience its warning signs differently from another person.
Why are they not the same for two people?
Symptoms and signs you might experience depend on the location, the size and the stage of the tumor.
However, prevention and even treatments to work require that you should know what colon cancer warning signs to watch out for.
Signs of a tumor in the colon come in two different types: local and systemic.
The local signs directly affect your bowel while systemic symptoms affect your whole body.
New irregular and inconsistent changes in how you move your bowels are local signs.
Early symptoms include . . .
1. Having either diarrhea or constipation
Ok, now isn't the time to be paranoid. Experiencing diarrhea or constipation once in a while doesn't immediately mean tumor.
Difficulty in or loose bowel movements can indicate other health problems.
Diarrhea can mean infection like amoebiasis or you may have eaten something that irritated your intestines.
Constipation can be a result of lack of fiber or water in your diet which can be prevented. Here's what you can do: Increase your water intake. Juices don't count; only plain water does. Eat more fruits and vegetables everyday. You can also add ground flax seeds to your soup or fresh green salad.
Regular bowel movements are just one of the many health benefits of flax seeds. Protection against tumor development is another.
So, when should you be concerned? When diarrhea and constipation persists. Don't ignore them. Both are early symptoms that can happen alternately if there is a tumor at the descending section of your bowel. Constipation is also one of the early symptoms of large precancerous colon or rectal polyp.
2. A feeling that your bowel does not empty completely
3. Ribbon-like stools
Stools are narrower than usual which may resemble the appearance of ribbon.
4. Very dark stools
If you're taking iron supplements, you can expect dark stools. But if dark stools are accompanied with another sign such as presence of blood or sudden weight loss, it can be something worth looking into.
5. Blood in your stool
Sometimes, the bleeding may be caused by hemorrhoids but you should be concerned with blood in the stool. It might be an early symptom of tumor if the color of blood is either bright red or very dark red.
6. Frequent abdominal pain
It is unusual if you always experience pain before, during or after a bowel movement.
7. Abdominal discomfort such as feeling of fullness or bloating, cramping, and frequent gas pain. Any of these early symptoms may also indicate chronic indigestion, which is also one of the signs of tumors in the stomach.
If you experience any of these early symptoms or signs of colon cancer for 2 weeks or more, it will be wise to go and see your doctor.
In addition to unusual changes in bowel movement, you should be conscious of the following systemic early symptoms:
1. Unintentional loss of weight
2. Nausea or vomiting
3. Loss of appetite
4. Persistent tiredness
Excessive fatigue is one of the common and early symptoms of tumor in the bowel or rectum.
Sometimes, fatigue and weakness are your only symptoms which are caused by occult bleeding.
But be aware that other health problems like diabetes and anemia can cause the same early signs.
5. Anemia which may be caused by internal rectal bleeding
7. Abdominal distension
This is characterized by a big belly even when you're not gaining any weight or you're losing so much weight.
A tumor at an early stage doesn't usually create pain that's why it is important that you see a doctor as soon as possible. Do not wait for pain. What if you experience night sweats together with pain? Be aware that both are symptoms or signs of tumor that has spread far and deep.
For your protection, find out if you're prone to develop polyps in your bowel. Learn how you can protect yourself. Always be proactive with your health by being alert for the first signs of colon cancer.
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