Bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer in the world, with the highest rates being in North America and Europe. This is why you need to pay attention to all possible signs and symptoms so that you can detect it before it is too late. Here’s what you need to pay attention to:
1. Blood in Your Urine
Bloody pee is the primary sign of bladder cancer. Urine color may range from pink to red to dark brown, and you often won’t be able to see it with the naked eye. Blood in your urine may also mean you have a bladder infection, UTI or even kidney stones.
2. Pelvic Pain
If a malign tumor grows within your bladder wall, pressure or pain may be present. Make sure to tell your doctor about ongoing pelvic pain or a strange feeling of pressure, particularly if it’s accompanied by any other symptoms.
3. Frequent Urination
Having to get up to pee all the time could be a sign of an infection. However, it could also indicate that bladder cancer is developing inside of you.
4. Swollen Feet
Swelling in the ankles or feet is a sign that bladder cancer may have advanced and metastasized to other parts of your body. What’s more, swollen feet may also be a symptom of either bladder or kidney cancer.
5. Loss of Appetite or Weight
Common with many cancers, a loss of weight or appetite may mean that cancer cells have formed inside of you. Sudden and unexplainable changes in your eating habits or weight should be a red flag, so make sure to visit a physician as soon as possible.
6. Feeling Weak or Fatigued
Bladder cancer may lead to fluid accumulating in your body, which in turn can make you feel lethargic, which is why you should visit a doctor if you’re feeling tired for no apparent reason.
7. Unable to Pass Urine
A blockage in your urinary tract might be preventing your bladder from passing urine. If this is the case for you, you should get examined to determine if it’s being caused by a tumorous growth, cyst, kidney stone or some other condition.
8. Feeling of Having to Pee
What this means is that even though your bladder is empty, you still often feel an urgent need to pee. If this keeps happening to you on a regular basis, visit a health professional.
9. Burning or Pain During Urination
A painful, burning sensation during urination is linked to many types of illnesses, so you should never just wait for this symptom to disappear of its own accord. In fact, this symptom is present in 3 different kinds of cancers – bladder, kidney, and prostate.
10. Back Pain
Back pain may be a sign that bladder cancer has entered a more advanced stage, but it may also indicate that you have a kidney infection or some other urological condition, so you should visit a doctor as soon as possible.
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