10 Silent Killers of Women

The most dangerous diseases are the ones that creep up slowly and don’t show until they took a good portion of your health. Millions of women get stricken by these stealthy illnesses, and hundred thousands of people die because of them every year. So, what are these silent killers of women?

Ovarian cancer

One in every 75 women don’t survive the fight with ovarian cancer, but the scariest part is that most of them don’t even know that they have this deadly disease. If the cancer is not caught in its early stages, the chances of survival rapidly go down. This silent killer is so stealthy, that even doctors have a hard time picking it up, so make sure to have regular and thorough tests. Also, keep an eye on pelvic pain, urinary changes and vaginal bleeding.

Diabetes

Even with so much education and information about diabetes, it often goes undiagnosed because of their subtle symptoms. Type 2 diabetes often manifests itself in seemingly harmless ways like excessive thirst, increased urination, weight loss and fatigue. Even though they are subtle, these are the symptoms to keep an eye on.

Breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women and it claims the biggest number of victims. It affects one in every eight women, especially those in child-bearing age! Breast cancer doesn’t exactly cause pain (which is why it often goes undiagnosed until it’s in its final stage), but there are other symptoms to watch out for. Check your breasts for lumps, feel your nipples for tenderness or any changes in shape and size and keep an eye on any breast skin changes.

Uterine cancer

Uterine cancer is another silent killer of women with symptoms hard to catch. Most commonly, it manifests itself in the form of abnormal vaginal bleeding, heavy periods, spotting or any post-menstrual bleeding. However, most women experience some of these issues at some point and they are totally benign! Having regular Pap smears and performing pelvic ultrasounds is the best ways of discovering this silent killer!

HPV

Human Papillomavirus is the most common STI, but it’s also the main factor that causes cervical cancer. Actually, almost 100% of all cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV. However, often there are absolutely no signs of the HPV infection, which makes it really hard to discover. There are two vaccines for high-risk HPV that causes cancer, so do get a shot. Also, regular Pap smears can detect all abnormal cells on your cervix and catch cancer in its early stage.

Heart disease

Most people know the most common symptoms of a heart attack: chest pain, pain in the arms and excessive sweating. However, in women, these signs are much more subtle which often means they go unnoticed until it’s too late. So, if you notice any shortness of breath, unusual fatigue and nausea, make sure to pay a visit to your doctor.

Eye cancer

Ocular melanoma and lymphoma are two of the most common eye cancer types in adults. Around 250 new cases of eye cancer get diagnosed every year in Australia alone, so it’s not a very uncommon disease! Eye cancer usually develops in the eye, but it can also spread to the other parts of the body. However, the trickiest part of this disease is that it doesn’t always cause obvious symptoms and can usually be noticed only during a routine eye exam. So, make sure to visit an experienced optometrist in Sydney for a regular eye test. They can also diagnose any other eye ailment and vision issue which guarantees a better and more pleasant life!

Leukemia

Leukemia is cancer that attacks the body’s blood-forming tissues which significantly increases the risk of developing infections, anemia, and bleeding. Chronic leukemia typically causes no symptoms and is often only diagnosed during a routine blood test because the subject feels sickly. Fever or night sweats, frequent infections and the general feeling of weakness are what you should keep an eye on.

Motor neuron disease

This disease causes nerve deterioration so heavy that the nerves become permanently damaged. This causes patents to lose muscle ability and ultimately give up the fight with the disease. The biggest problem with the ailment is that it usually occurs in the sixth and seventh decade of life, right around when old age starts to affect our muscles, so it’s quite hard to catch in time. Keep an eye on muscle weakness, twitching, cramps and slurred speech.

Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack the tissue of its organs (mostly the brain) just like it would attack any deadly disease. This, in turn, causes damage to the organ and even death. So, even though it leaves tremendous destruction, lupus has a very slow progression of symptoms which makes it super hard to diagnose. Pay attention to joint pain, fatigue, painful breathing, rash on nose and cheeks, hair loss and headaches.

Don’t allow yourself to be caught off guard by any disease, not even the silent ones. And, if you notice any of these symptoms in yourself or your loved ones, see a doctor right away!

About the author:

Peter is a fashion stylist and a writer from Brisbane, Australia. After graduating from Australian Institute of Creative Design he worked as a fashion stylist for few local fashion events. Beside fashion and styling, he enjoys traveling around exotic destinations and discovering new vintage stores. He’s future plans are in creating his personal styling business.