Leukemia is not a very common disease and unfortunately the exact cause
of leukemia is not yet known. People that suffer from this disease can
get infections very easily.
Leukemia patients, besides having a large number of leukemia cells also
have a reduced number of red and white blood cells. They also have a
lack of platelets, which help your blood to coagulate. The red cells
carry oxygen and the white ones fight off infection. When their number
is lower than normal and their place is taken by leukemia cells, people
start to suffer from many conditions, also known as leukemia symptoms.
Some common signs of leukemia are:
- chills, fever and many other signs similar to those of the flu;
- repeated infections, bruising very easily or bleeding from the nose
or gums can also indicate that you are suffering from leukemia;
- a general state of tiredness and fatigue is also very common in leukemia cases;
- unexpected loss of weight or the loss of your appetite can tell you that you might be suffering from leukemia;
- swollen lymph nodes or spleen and joint or bone pain are symptoms of leukemia as well;
- paleness, sweating, sometimes even developing anemia can indicate a leukemia case;
If you are suffering from the acute form of leukemia, then symptoms
will appear very quickly and get worse in a very short period of time.
On the other hand, if having chronic leukemia, you might not have any
symptoms for a very long period of time. When they do appear, leukemia
signs are mild in the beginning and then start to get worse, but
gradually.
Moreover, if suffering from acute leukemia you will also have other
symptoms as well. Because the leukemia cells gather up in your spinal
cord or brain, vomiting, frequent headaches, seizures, confusion and
loss of control over your muscles can also appear. These cells also
gather in the testicles, causing swelling, which indicates leukemia.
Besides your central nervous system, other organs or parts of your body
can be affected by leukemia. The lungs, kidneys and your digestive
tract are only some of the parts affected by leukemia.
When suffering from the chronic type of leukemia, these abnormal cells
also collect in some parts of your body, some different from those
affected by acute leukemia. The skin, testicles, nervous system and
even your eyes will eventually be affected by leukemia.
The number of leukemia cells that travel through your body give the
number of symptoms that the leukemia patient will suffer from.
