Some signs and symptoms are commonly associated with cancer.
They include: Any lump or thickening in the breast or elsewhere Any sore that
does not heal Any persistent change in bowel or bladder habits Persistenthoarseness or coughing Persistent indigestion or difficulty in swallowing Any
change in a wart or mole Any sudden weight loss Actually, none of the foregoing
constitutes proof of cancer-only that cancer is a possibility which should be
investigated without delay.
No sign or symptom-either severe or mild but persistent or
recurring -should be neglected, it bears repeating here, on the grounds that it
may not mean anything or that the doctor may say it's "just nerves."
The preventively minded physician whom you see regularly for your checkups will
welcome being consulted about such signals, will not pass them off lightly as
"just nerves," will check thoroughly, and, if it should be just a
matter of "nerves," will help you do something about the
"nerves.
YOUR OWN HEALTH INVENTORY
In addition to regular periodic checkups by your physician
and your alertness for danger signals, there is an additional line of defense,
an extra safeguard, you can put to use in maintaining health. It consists of a
simple inventory of your health, a checklist of statements. Taking the
inventory at home will require only a few minutes once a month.
Mark your calendar now to remind you to refer to this
chapter and the following statements on some convenient date each month,
perhaps the first or fifteenth. If you cannot say "True" to anyone of
the statements that follow, you should see your doctor as soon as possible. If
you have a perfect "True" score, it is quite likely that your health
is being maintained satisfactorily, and you need not see your physician again
until your next scheduled examination.
2. I am not
aware of shortness of breath when walking on level ground or when performing
any type of activity that never before made me short of breath.
3. I am not
bothered by indigestion, nausea, appetite loss, abdominal pain or cramps, or
the recent sudden appearance of constipation or diarrhea.
4. I have
noticed no blood in bowel movements or urine.
5. I am not steadily losing or gaining weight
and I am satisfied that my weight is suitable for me.
6. I do not
feel myself becoming nervous, irritable, or depressed. I have had no crying
spells and no feelings of overwhelming sadness, worthlessness, mental apathy. I
have no persistent feeling that any- body is against me. I do not feel a
nervous breakdown coming on.
7. I do not
feel unduly fatigued after little effort, mental or physical. I have no feeling
of being rundown.
8. I have no
pallor; my skin color has not changed.
9. I have no
cough that has persisted longer than a month. I have coughed up no blood.
10. I have had no persistent hoarseness.
11. My hearing
remains as good as it has ever been.
12. My
eyesight, too, remains good; I have had no dimming or fogging of vision.
13. I have no
persistent headaches.
14. I have
felt no chest discomfort without obvious cause.
15. I have had
no prolonged aches in back, limbs, or joints.
17. I have noticed no urinary changes.
18. I sleep
well. I have no tendency to wake up during the night and have difficulty
falling asleep again.
19. I have no new persistent pain or any
other new symptoms.
20. I am not
worried about the possibility of having a venereal disease. Special for women:
21. I have
noticed no vaginal bleeding at unexpected times.
22. I have
felt no lump in my breast, and I have not been worried about the possibility of
cancer or tumor there or in any other part of my body.
23. I am not
troubled with hot flashes. Special for men:
21. My urination has not been abnormal in any way recently-particularly in terms of
difficulty in starting, stopping, dribbling, and pain.
22. I am not
ruptured and have no thoughts that I may be.
23. I do not
believe that I may have picked up some disease overseas during the war which
may now be coming to the surface.
Important Note: If you cannot say "True" to one or
more of the preceding statements, it does not necessarily mean that you have a
serious problem. There may, indeed, be a clue to something serious-and because
it is likely to be an early clue, the problem is very likely to be amenable to
effective treatment. On the other hand, the problem may be mild, possibly even
temporary. But let your physician make the diagnosis for you. He will almost
certainly agree that it is good preventive medicine, in the best interests of
your continued good health, for him to check up on the lead provided when you
cannot say "True" to a statement. –
