Mesothelioma symptoms are sign posts or tell- tale signs that signals the presence of the disease itself. The bad thing about the disease is that it has no specific symptoms and may mimick several other diseases which sends doctors on goose chases only to discover later that the patient is suffering from mesothelioma. This makes the treatment difficult and so the prognosis is bad for most suffers of the disease. Mesothelioma affects virtually every part of the body; its symptoms are evident in the pulmonary system whence it originates, the circulatory system starting from the heart, central nervous system, and other areas in the body. Now, let’s consider each system and identify the symptom associated with them.
In the circulatory system, there is the occurence of heart palpitations denoted by increased heart rate, also there is chest pain,heart murmurs and irregular heart- beat. The patient tends to be anaemic and may go into shock.
Gastro-intestinal related symptoms includes: nausea and vomiting, meaning the patient may throw-up atimes. Other symptoms include abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, constipation and diarrhoea.
Central nervous system related symptoms are unexplainable weight loss, increased body temperature i.e. fever, fatigue, night sweats, general body weakness, numbness of the upper or lower limbs and confusion.
Symptoms associated with the respiratory system include: hoarseness of the voice , wheezing when breathing, blood in the septum, rust coloured sputum, recurring bronchitis, pneumonia, reduced respiratory functions, and accumulation of fluids in the lungs.
Please note that symptoms of mesothelioma do not materialize until about 20 to 50 years after initial exposure to asbestors. The asbestor fibre usually remain embedded in the lung mesothelium for decades before becoming malignant
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