10 Signs of Leukemia.
Leukemia, to put it simply is cancer (malignancy) of the blood cells.
However, much like anything that has to do with an illness of the body, it is a lot more
complicated than that.
Blood cells are formed in bone marrow, which is the soft tissue inside of the bone.
These cells include white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets, which are helpful
in the clotting of blood.
In a normal, healthy body, this is exactly what happens.
When a person has leukemia, however, abnormal blood cells are created in the bone marrow,
and as is most common with leukemia, abnormal white blood cells are created (leukemia literally
translates to ‘white blood’).
White blood cells are the cells that are responsible for fighting infection in the body.
However, the abnormal cells produced in leukemia patients do not function properly or in the
same fashion as normal white blood cells.
Instead, they continue to grow and divide, and the result is the eventual over-crowding
of the normal blood cells.
What that means is it becomes incredibly difficult for the body to control bleeding, fight infection
and transport oxygen to all of its various parts.
There are several different types of leukemia, and these are divided according to how quickly
the disease develops, and the type of abnormal cells produced.
While the diagnosis might differ in regard to the specific type of leukemia a person
has, the symptoms and signs of the disease remain fairly constant across the board.
So without further ado, allow us to present to you 10 of the most common signs and symptoms
of leukemia.
1.
Fever and Chills.
The symptom of fever and chills is a common one with most infections or diseases of the
body.
Fever comes on when the body is trying to fight infection, as warm environments tend
to be less hospitable for infection to grow.
Chills come one as the body's way of trying to stay warm when it is cold, through the
contraction and relaxation of muscles.
Knowing that these two symptoms are often associated with other ailments poses problems
for many in diagnosing as it often manifests as flu-like symptoms.
If these symptoms persist - for a week or two - then it is advisable to make an appointment
with your physician.
2.
Weight Loss.
Similar to most other types of cancer, leukemia is characterized by a loss of appetite and
excessive weight loss.
While this symptom isn’t necessarily a direct cause of the cancer (or in this case leukemia),
it is most often thought of as an offshoot from the many other symptoms that cause this
lack of appetite and in turn, weight loss.
Due to the nature of leukemia, and the way it presents itself, weightless can often be
one of the first outward visible signs of the disease.
As a rule, it is worth remembering that it is quite abnormal to lose more than one to
two pounds a week, especially when not trying.
If you, or someone you love notices this, it might be worth a trip to the doctor.
3.
Frequent Urination.
The human body is capable of some pretty spectacular feats, and many of these happen on a regular
basis without us even noticing.
A prime example of this is our body's ability to fight of bacterial and viral infections.
Urination is another great example, as it is the means that waste from the blood is
expelled.
However, when the body isn't working properly, let's say due to the presence of cancer cells,
then systems in the body, including urination, start to act up.
If you think you have a clean bill of health and yet find yourself having to use the bathroom
more often than normal, it should be a source of concern as leukemia affects white blood
cells, which is the bodies means of warding off infection.
4.
Night Sweats.
Much like lymphoma and other types of cancers, leukemia sufferers have an incredibly difficult
time regulating body temperature.
This often results in a back and forth between fever and cold chills and excessive sweating
- which usually presents itself at its worse during the night.
While some might be thinking ‘how am I supposed to tell what I do when I sleep?’; the signs
are all to apparent in the morning, for a person who suffers from night sweats will
find their clothes, and bed linens often saturated with sweat.
This symptom, like many others on this list might not be a cause for concern, in and of
itself, but rather should be viewed in on a whole, coupled with other one to give you
a better idea as to what's going on.
It is also important to remember that self-diagnosis does little good, and if you feel there is
an issue for concern, please see your doctor.
5.
Joint or Bone Pain.
While leukemia is quite literally ‘cancer of the blood,’ it is important to remember
the focal point of the ailment and where it begins - the bones.
More specifically, the long bones found in the body, and further to the point, the bone
marrow found inside where blood cells are created from stem cells.
One does not need a medical degree to see the connection between the formation of cancerous
blood cells in the bones and the destruction of healthy ones.
This hindrance on the healthy cells may cause your joints and bones to become achy and more
painful even in rest as the cancer progresses.
6.
Fatigue.
As mentioned earlier, the body - when it's healthy - is a like a well oiled, top performing
machine.
One of the most impressive functions of the human body can be found in red blood cells
and their ability to distribute oxygen to all other cells throughout the body.
However, with leukemia, red blood cells become depleted and thus, the body is not supplied
with the proper amount of oxygen it needs to perform at peak levels.
This causes extreme lethargy, fatigue and overall weakness in those suffering (known
as anemia).
It is important to remember that anemia is not a sign, in and of itself, of a serious
disorder, but it should be the cause for a trip to the doctor to investigate further.
7.
Abnormal Bruising.
While most people don’t connect the two, bruising is a blood-related occurrence.
Platelets, specifically, which are produced in the bone marrow along with white and red
blood cells are mostly responsibly for the clotting of blood, which is what a bruise
is, only under the skin.
Have a low platelet count - or thrombocytopenia - is often the cause if you notice unexplained
bruises or that cuts are not healing as quickly as they should.
The connection between low platelets and leukemia goes right back to their source, and while
one might not be indicative of the other, if you notice irregular bruising coupled with
unexplained bleeding from the gums, in your stool or urine, or frequent nose bleeds, then
we recommend you go see a health-care professional immediately.
8.
Petechiae.
Petechia are when tiny red dots appear on then skin when capillaries - the smallest
of the blood vessels - burst or bleed out.
The reasons for this are multiple, but usually, it occurs due to excessive straining or pressure.
Most people have experienced this symptom before, as it can often result from excessive
crying or uncontrollable vomiting.
Much like the previous point, this symptom is often a sign of thrombocytopenia, or low
platelets count - which might be the sign of an underlying blood disorder, such as leukemia.
9.
Abdominal Discomfort.
The human body in many cases is the sum of all its parts.
When one part is hurt, injured or infected, it can often have an impact on other, seemingly
unconnected parts of the body.
Leukemia and the spleen is an example of such an occurrence.
The lymphatic system is a network of vessels, tissues and organs through which the body
rids itself of waste and toxins, often from the blood.
Knowing as we do that leukemia is a blood disorder, it makes sense that this system
would be affected.
In many cases of leukemia, the spleen can become swollen and distended causing discomfort
in the abdomen as the organ presses on surround organs such as the stomach.
This can also be a cause of appetite loss as well.
10.
Headaches.
Our bodies are all about balance - as it is through this inter working of networks that
allows us to not only function but flourish.
However, when one part of the body stops working properly, other parts work double-time and
try to compensate.
As leukemia in most cases affects the production of white blood cells, the fact that they are
abnormal and don’t function properly causes the body to try and produce more.
This excess of white blood cells can obstruct the tiny blood vessels in the brain, which
cause some patients to report frequent headaches.
As it is easy to imagine, this symptom often gets overlooked in its association with leukemia,
which is why it's so important to view these symptoms collectively to help give you a more
complete picture of your body and its state of health.