It's not always easy to diagnosis pleural mesothelioma by examining its symptoms. All too often, the symptoms of the disease may resemble those of other more common illnesses, including something as simple as the flu, a cold, laryngitis, pneumonia, or whopping cough. It often takes weeks or even months before a correct diagnosis is made, and because the disease usually takes between 20 and 50 years to surface, past exposure to asbestos often doesn't come to mind when attempting to make a diagnosis or when a patient is giving a medical history.
Common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma often include:
* Chest pain
* Coughing
* Wheezing
* Shortness of breath
* Fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion)
* Hoarseness or difficulty speaking
* Blood clots (less common)
Chest pain is usually the first indication of a problem, caused by the growing tumors that enlarge the pleural space and cause it to fill with fluid. Such chest pain is often mistaken for heart problems and many yet-to-be-diagnosed mesothelioma victims believe they are having a heart attack or suffering from heart disease.
The discomfort caused by the above symptoms can also result in loss of appetite and weight loss. Once mesothelioma is diagnosed, it's important for patients to maintain good eating habits in order to better combat the disease. Cool. Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms.
Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms Video :
