Three Common Illnesses That May Cause Symptoms Very Similar to Mesothelioma
Although mesothelioma causes many symptoms that make it easier to diagnose, many of these issues may be similar to other diseases and may result in a misdiagnosis. As a result, it is important to know which diseases can mimic mesothelioma symptoms and to understand whether or not these conditions are connected to this disease. Doing so will help to make your treatment easier to handle.
The Cold – The Worst Thing to Cause Confusion
The frustrating thing about early mesothelioma symptoms is that they are often eerily similar to that of the common cold. As this disease is among the most common types of health issues, you really don’t want to have this confusion. Trying to explain away your symptoms as a cold is likely to cause you to not get proper treatment and may affect your health in very adverse and unfortunate ways.
For example, you can usually experience a sore throat, nasal drainage problems, sneezing, fatigue, and a slight fever. These symptoms can easily seem very similar to that of mesothelioma and cause you to get cold treatment instead. If your symptoms last longer than 4-10 days and worsen with time, you should visit a doctor right away to make sure that you don’t have this type of cancer.
The Flu – Another Common Confusion Point
The typical flu will cause a pretty broad array of symptoms that can be easily mistaken for asbestos-related cancers. These symptoms will be more intense than that of a cold and may last anywhere from 3-5 days, depending on the flu. If your symptoms end up lasting longer, then it may be time to visit a doctor to confirm that you haven’t developed any potentially deadly cancers.
For example, you’re likely to get a fever over 100 degrees that is likely to remain consistent and refuse to go away. Some people with this type of cancer will have a similar fever that is very hard to tolerate. You may also experience headaches, sweats, chills, fatigue, and muscle pain throughout the body. If you’ve been exposed to asbestos and experience these symptoms, never assume you have the flu and get medical help ASAP.
Pneumonia – May Be Connected to This Cancer
This condition is frustrating because it can cause a large number of breathing troubles that may worsen a cold or flu infection. You’re likely to experience very intense chills, a dangerously high fever, changes in your heartbeat, pain throughout the chest wall, excessive fatigue, mucus, and much more. Frighteningly, this condition is often directly connected to mesothelioma in some individuals.
That’s because it is often caused by bacteria that may be connected to cancerous cells and growing out of control alongside them. And this cancer can also trigger persistent pneumonia that may make treatment of this disease much more difficult. As a result, it is important to talk to doctors and lawyers about this danger to ensure you are safe and to get compensation, if necessary.