leukaemia symptoms How to Recognize the Symptoms of Leukemia

 


How to Recognize the Symptoms of Leukemia







Leukemia is a blood cancer that affects white blood cells, which are generally responsible for fighting infections and diseases. Those who are affected have abnormal white blood cells that take away space from healthy ones, leading to serious problems. [1] Leukemia can develop quickly or slowly and there are different types of this disease. [2] Learn to recognize common symptoms and know when it is important to seek medical treatment.
Part 1 of 2:
Locate the Common Symptoms

   
    1
    Check for symptoms that resemble those of influenza. Among these you may experience fever, fatigue or chills. If they disappear after a few days and you feel good again, it was probably just flu. However, if they persist, you must visit the doctor. Often the symptoms of leukemia are confused with those of influenza or other infections. In particular, you must pay attention to:
        Continued weakness or fatigue;
        Frequent or severe epistaxis;
        Repetitive infections;
        Unexplained weight loss;
        Inflamed lymph nodes;
        Enlarged spleen or liver;
        Predisposition to bruises and hemorrhages;
        Small red spots on the skin;
        Strong sweating;
        Bone pains; [3]
        Bleeding gums. [4]
   
    2
    Monitor the level of tiredness. Chronic fatigue is often a premonitory symptom of leukemia. Given that it is a fairly common occurrence, many patients neglect this symptom, which may also be accompanied by a feeling of weakness and very little energy. [5]
        The chronic exhaustion is different from the feeling of tiredness. If you realize you can not concentrate or think you have a more labile memory than normal, you may suffer from chronic exhaustion. Other symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, new and unusual muscle pain, sore throat or a severe sense of exhaustion that lasts more than a day. [6]
   
    3
    Monitor the weight. Losing weight without apparent reasons is often a symptom of this condition. This may be an unclear symptom that if it manifests itself does not necessarily indicate the presence of a tumor. However, if you lose weight without having changed your normal diet or exercise routine, it is important that you ask your doctor for a visit. [7]
        It is normal for weight to swing with time. Pay particular attention to the slow but steady weight loss even without making particular efforts.
        Weight loss due to diseases is often accompanied by the feeling of a decline in energy and weakness, rather than a sense of greater well-being.
   
    4
    Pay attention to bruises and bleeding. People with leukemia tend to manifest these signs more easily. The cause is due in part to the low count of red blood cells and platelets, which lead to anemia. [8] Take note if you have the impression that a bruise is formed after every slight impact or if a small cut begins to bleed profusely. This is a particularly significant symptom. [9] Pay attention to bleeding gums. [10]
   
    5
    Look at the skin looking for small red dots (petechiae). They generally look different from the usual spots that are formed after physical activity or due to acne. If you see reddened, round and small areas on the skin that were not there before, go immediately to the doctor. These seem more like skin rashes than blood stains. [11] They are often formed in clusters. [12]

    6
    Determine if you're having more infections than usual. Because leukemia damages healthy white blood cell counts, frequent infections can occur. If you often have skin, throat or ear infections, your immune system may have weakened. [13]



    7
    Evaluate if you feel pain in your bones and hurt. If the bones hurt you and are painful without there being any other health reasons that could justify it, you are advised to undergo tests for leukemia. You can experience bone pain associated with leukemia because the bone marrow is too "crowded" with white blood cells. Leukemic cells can also accumulate near the bones or inside the joints [14].
   
    8
    Know the risk factors. Some subjects are more predisposed than others to this pathology. Although the presence of certain risk factors does not automatically lead to the development of the disease, it is however important to recognize them. You are most at risk if:
        You have undergone previous cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy;
        You suffer from genetic diseases;
        You are or have been a smoker;
        Some of your family members have or have had leukemia;
        You have been exposed to chemical elements such as benzene [15].
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Part 2 of 2:
Undergo the Leukemia Exams

   
    1
    Take a physical exam. During the visit the doctor will check if the skin is pale in an unusual way. This could be due to anemia, which is associated with leukemia. It will also pay attention to the lymph nodes, to make sure they are not swollen and may undergo tests to see if the liver or spleen is larger than normal. [16]
        The swelling of the lymph nodes is also a clear characteristic feature of lymphoma. [17]
        If the spleen is particularly enlarged, it can be a sign of many other diseases, such as mononucleosis. [18]
   
    2
    Submit to a blood test. Your doctor may ask you to take a blood sample to check your white blood cell count and platelet counts. [19] If the count is significantly high, your doctor may ask you to do other tests (magnetic resonance, rachicentesi, TAC) to check for the presence of leukemia. [20]
   
    3
    Undergo a bone marrow biopsy. This procedure involves inserting a long thin needle into the hip bone to extract a bone marrow sample that will be sent to a laboratory to check for the presence of leukemic cells. Depending on the result, you will need to investigate further. [21]

    4
    Get a diagnosis. Once the doctor has examined all the possible aspects of your problem, he can make a diagnosis. To get to this you may have to wait a little, because the laboratory times may vary. However, you could get the results within a few weeks. You may not have leukemia. Otherwise, the doctor will be able to tell you what type of illness has affected you and you can discuss with him the various treatment solutions.
        The doctor will inform you if the disease is progressing rapidly (acute) or slow (chronic leukemia). [22]
        It will later determine which type of leukocytes has been affected by the disease. Lymphatic leukemia affects lymphatic cells, while myeloid cells alter myeloid cells.
        Although adults can get sick of all types of leukemia, most children are affected by acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
        Both children and adults can develop acute myeloid leukemia, but this is the fastest growing type among adults.
        Chronic lymphatic leukemia and chronic myelogenous leukemia affect adults and may take years to manifest with symptoms