Lung cancer: Common signs of cancer in your cough that indicates an emergency

The cases of lung cancer are on the rise, particularly among the urban population. In India alone, lung cancer constitutes 6.9 per cent of all new cancer cases, which is caused mostly due to smoking and air pollution.

Early treatment can help to reduce the number of fatalities, but the problem is that lung cancer is not easy to detect. Most cases of lung cancers do not cause any symptoms until they have spread to a large portion. At times, the initial symptoms are also confused with other conditions, which delays the treatment process. One of the early signs of lung cancer can be detected from the way you cough. So, if you are a smoker or think you are at risk of lung cancer, do not take the signs lightly. Here is what you have to look for.

Coughing can reveal a lot of things about our respiratory system. Whenever germs and harmful objects are trapped in your airways, coughing is the first response of your body to it. Even in case of lung cancer, coughing can be the initial and most crucial sign to identify the condition. When coughing is caused due to minor issues, it goes away on its own after a few days. The one which lingers for a longer time indicates something serious. When coughing lingers for weeks or months it can be due to lung cancer.

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In a case of lung cancer, coughing can be accompanied by other symptoms like bloody or rust-coloured mucus or phlegm, shortness of breath, chest pain and infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia that recur or do not go away.

If you deal with the problem of coughing most of the time or there has been any change in a cough you have had for a long time, it could also indicate the growth of cancerous cells in your lungs. When suffering from lung cancer your cough may start sounding different or you may have pain while coughing or speaking.

Cough is indeed one of the most obvious and initial signs of lung cancer, but there are several other signs of the disease. Not all who suffer from lung cancer have a problem when coughing or witness any such change. The symptoms vary from one person to the other, which is why it is crucial to be aware of other signs of the condition. Some other tell-tale signs of lung cancer are:

hoarseness

loss of appetite

unexplained weight loss

fatigue

swelling in the face or neck

In rare cases, people suffering from lung cancer can also notice changes in the appearance of their fingers. They become more curved or their ends become larger. Shoulder pain is also a common symptom of lung cancer.

If your cough gets prolonged for more than 4 weeks or you notice a change in the way your cough sounds, consult your doctor. Coughing can happen due to several minor or major reasons. So, you should not take it lightly. Along with that look for other signs of lung cancer. The risk of developing the condition is greater among those who are first or secondhand smokers.