Cancer can be a frightening word. If you’ve been Googling symptoms you’ve noticed lately, trying to figure out what might be wrong with you, it’s the last thing you want to pop up in the search.
That’s why it’s important to be informed, and know what the symptoms of different types really are.
Thyroid cancer may seem daunting and world-shattering if it’s appeared in your research, but it doesn’t have to be a death sentence. The 5-year survival rate is 95%, meaning there’s a high chance that even if your symptoms do prove to be thyroid cancer, they’re likely very treatable.
So what are early warning signs of thyroid cancer?
- A Constant Cough
One of the most common thyroid cancer symptoms is a constant cough, but it’s also easy to miss.
Most people get coughs fairly frequently throughout their life. That can mean that on its own, a cough doesn’t seem ominous or indicative of anything serious.
It’s important to ask yourself some questions about the cough you’re experiencing:
- Is it persistent?
- Has it come without any other symptoms of a cold?
- Is it in conjunction with any of the symptoms below?
Is the answer to these is ‘yes’, then it could be a symptom of thyroid cancer.
- Fatigue
Fatigue is another symptom that may seem fairly innocent. People get tired for many reasons, most of them signaling nothing at all except harmless lifestyle changes. Hormones, diet, exercise, and stress can all play a part in how tired you are.
Like coughing, it’s important to examine the fatigue along with anything else going on with your body. Fatigue on its own is unlikely to be a symptom of thyroid cancer but when accompanied by some of the others, it might be a warning sign.
- Pain in the Neck
Pain in the neck, however, is a symptom that people don’t generally experience with lifestyle changes or a common cold. It’s one of the stronger symptoms of thyroid cancer, since the possible causes of this are much fewer in number.
If you’ve started experiencing pain, it might be time to see a doctor. Even if it is thyroid cancer, you can start looking at a plan — for example, this alternative treatment for thyroid cancer.
There are many options available to you, and the odds are good.
- Trouble Swallowing
As well as pain in the neck, you might find that you’re having trouble swallowing.
Because of swollen lymph glands that accompany thyroid cancer, trouble swallowing is one of the signs of thyroid cancer that shouldn’t be ignored. Not only can it be inconvenient and painful, it’s another symptom that doesn’t often come with the common cold.
Therefore, if you’ve noticed that eating has become a little more difficult, it’s time to get this checked out.
- Trouble Breathing
Many illnesses can come with trouble breathing but if you’re experiencing this at all, it’s time to see a doctor before it gets any worse.
Whether it’s cancer or not, you don’t want it to get it to the point where every breath is a struggle — however, this is a common sign of thyroid cancer, so it could well be that.
If you’re experiencing trouble breathing, contact someone urgently. Don’t be afraid of the results because the sooner you can catch a disease, the more likely you can deal with it and recover well.
- Voice Changes
Because thyroid cancer attacks the glands in the neck, you might notice voice changes even if there’s no obvious pain.
With a cold or a virus, people’s throats become sore and their voice becomes hoarse. However, if this has happened to you and your voice isn’t returning to its normal state, it could be indicative that something serious is wrong.
This symptom may or not may not be accompanied by pain or discomfort, but if it lasts more than a few days, it’s time to look into it with a professional.
- A Lump in the Neck
A symptom of thyroid cancer that isn’t found in many other diseases or infections is an actual lump in the neck that you can feel.
This is the most common sign that leads to the detection of thyroid cancer. A lump in your neck may appear one day and seem to stay the same size, or you may notice it growing.
Regardless of size, if you’re certain there’s a lump there, you can get tests run to determine if it’s thyroid cancer. Don’t delay — as this is the most common symptom, it leads to early detection and your chances of getting rid of the cancer are much higher.
- Swelling Around the Neck
There’s a chance that it won’t be a specific lump in the neck you notice, but some general swelling around the area. Sometimes cancer grows in a way that doesn’t produce an obvious lump, but you can still see that your glands are swollen as if they’re infected.
Any changes in feeling or physical appearance around the neck should be looked into, whether it’s one lump that seems to be growing there or a general enlargement of the area.
Sometimes, this swelling can grow rapidly, so it’s important to see a doctor as quickly as possible so that the cause can be determined.
If it’s thyroid cancer, treatment can then be started as quickly as possible.
If You’ve Been Asking, “What Are Early Warning Signs of Thyroid Cancer?”, See a Doctor
It’s natural to Google symptoms when something seems to be wrong, and it’s even possible to self-diagnose. Despite that, nothing replaces the tests run by a doctor.
If you’ve been experiencing these symptoms, have searched, “What are early warning signs of thyroid cancer?”, and think you may have found the cause, see a professional.
If it’s thyroid cancer, you can look into treatment options and be cancer-free as soon as possible.
For more health tips and advice, check out the rest of our blog!