10 hidden symptoms of stomach cancer you need to know

Most of the time when one suffers from cancer the diagnosis happens quite late. And with a condition like stomach cancer this is way too common. The early warning signs are so subtle that they overlap with minor ailments like acidity, constipation, etc., and are often overlooked. Hence, it might be late by the time you reach out to a doctor, especially because the symptoms might be managed with over the counter medication. Here Dr Meghal Sanghvi, Onco-surgeon from Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai, lists out some symptoms or digestive problems that you should not ignore.

1. Heartburn or indigestion

Feeling queasy or having an acid reflux after a heavy meal is normal. An antacid can take care of it and give you relief in some time. But if the symptoms persist beyond two to three months and come back almost after every meal, it is a sign of danger. It is better to go for a check up. The reflux might be due to a tumour growing in the stomach. A stomach tumour secretes enzymes of its own that interfere with digestion. If the tumour grows in size, it can also block the food from passing to the small intestine, hence the reflux. Here are few home remedies for heartburn that can work to give you some relief.

2. Feeling full after a small meal

Your appetite can change for many reasons, but if you develop a sense of aversion towards food and feel full after eating a few morsels, don’t ignore the sign. If there is a tumour growing inside your belly, it can obstruct the food and prevent it from passing to the small intestine. It could also make you feel bloated. Here are 10 reasons of bloating you should know about.

3. Unexplained weight loss

Inability to eat a proper meal, lack of nutrition and low appetite are obvious reasons for rapid weight loss. But you might not suspect a tumour. However, if you experience weight loss along with symptoms of acidity and GERD, better go for a check-up and avoid self-diagnosis. Here are 10 more reasons why unexplained weight loss is a serious problem.

4. Nausea and vomiting

Typically, when you vomit, you bring up the contents of partially digested previous meals.  frequent nausea, gag reflux and throwing up small chunks of food that you might have consumed just a few minutes back are warning signs. This may be because of a tumour that is obstructing the passage of food. Here are 13 reasons of nausea and vomiting that you need to know.

5. Feeling fatigued

Symptoms such as lack of appetite and reflux could lead to nutritional depletion and excessive weight loss along with low blood count. So if all this makes you so tired that you can’t even walk a mile without shortness of breath, it is time to head to a doctor. Here are 10 more causes of constant fatigue that you need to know about.

6. Change in bowel pattern

Constipation, diarrhoea or even black coloured stool could be a warning sign.

7. Low-grade fever

Fever is usually an outcome of an infection present in the body. With a malignancy growing in the stomach, it is possible that you experience recurrent episodes of low-grade fever. Fatigue and fever along with the other symptoms like heartburn should make you worry about your health real bad. Here are few cause of fever that you didn’t know about.

8. Pain in the abdomen

Severe pain in the abdomen with a hard lump that can be felt by pressing your abdomen must be investigated. Know about 15 more causes of abdominal pain and how to deal with it.

9. Rectal bleeding

This could also be a telltale sign of stomach cancer. In fact, blood in the stool is a sign that everything in and around your intestine isn’t fine. Sometimes as the tumour grows it may press on the surrounding blood vessels penetrate them and cause bleeding. Some of the blood might be detected in the stool. Here are more reasons why blood in the stool is a danger sign.

10. Difficulty in swallowing

This is a rare symptom of stomach cancer and might happen only towards the advanced stages of the disease.

Originally published on www.healthsite.com