The 5 Biggest Killer Diseases (And How To Spot Them Early)
This is a collaborative post
Many diseases can be treated easily or slowed down if detected early. Unfortunately, many of us ignore the early warning signs. This allows diseases to get more serious, at which point they can become harder to treat.
Heart disease, cancer, COPD, stroke and Alzheimer’s are the diseases that claim the most lives and are the ones that are worth looking out for the most. Below are some interesting stats on each disease, and how to detect them early.
Heart disease
1 in 5 deaths are due to heart disease. Most of these deaths are the result of a heart attack. There are many lifestyle factors that can increase your risk of developing heart disease. These largely include poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, heavy drinking or stress.
There are a few signs that you may be developing heart disease. These include:
- Chest pain and chest tightness
- Shortness of breath
- Lightheadedness
- Unexplained nausea or stomach pain
- Pain or numbness in the arms, legs, jaw or neck
Cancer
Cancer is the second biggest killer and is responsible for 1 in 6 deaths. The cause of cancer is unknown, but there are many lifestyle factors such as smoking, heavy drinking and poor diet that put you at greater risk.
There are many different types of cancer, which may each display different symptoms. A few warning signs to look out for include:
- Fatigue
- Unexplained weight loss
- Appetite loss
- Unusual lumps
- Unusual bowel movements and/or blood in stools (see this bowel cancer guide)
- Frequent urination and/or blood in urine (possibly bladder or kidney cancer)
- A persistent cough and/or coughing up blood (a common sign of lung cancer)
- Unusual moles or changes in moles (a sign of skin cancer)
- Unusual headaches
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a name for a collection of different lung diseases that can make breathing difficult. It is the third biggest killer. Almost 90% of COPD cases are linked to smoking. Pollution, mold and exposure to dust can also cause COPD.
Symptoms of COPD to look out for include:
- Increasing breathlessness – at first while exercising, and later when doing any walking or activity
- Frequent chest infections
- A persistent cough
- Wheezing
Stroke
The 4th biggest killer is a stroke. You are more at risk of a stroke if you have high blood pressure or a high cholesterol. Stress, smoking, heavy drinking, lack of exercise and poor diet are all lifestyle factors that can increase the risk of a stroke.
A stroke is more sudden than many of the conditions on this list – you generally only have hours to get to a hospital once symptoms begin. Noticing signs early can increase your chance of survival. Signs of a stroke include:
- Drooping on one side of face
- Confusion and trouble speaking
- Numbness and weakness in legs
- Paralysis on one side of body
- Double vision
- Loss of balance
- Acute headache
Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s causes slow deterioration of the brain and is believed to be the fifth biggest killer. The exact cause of alzheimer’s is unknown – it is often genetic, although smoking, stress and poor diet are believed to be high risk factors.
Alzheimer’s cannot be treated, but can be slowed down through mental and physical exercise. Signs of alzheimer’s worth looking out for include:
- Forgetting things such as dates, keys or direction
- Repeating questions that have already been answered
- Lack of spontaneity and initiative
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Changes in behaviour
- Difficulty communicating and social withdrawal
