No one likes to be reminded of the threat of cancer that is seemingly ever-present, but the best way to make sure that you have the best chance of fighting and beating any potential cancer is by being proactive. Taking necessary precautions and looking for early warning signs is a far better way to spend your time rather than burying your head in the sand. The trouble is that a lot of people simply do not know what to look for when it comes to colorectal cancer. Here are a few signs that indicate you might need further testing from a colorectal cancer screening.
Consistent Diarrhea Or Constipation
Diarrhea and constipation may be on the opposing ends of healthy bowel movements but that does not mean they can't have similar root causes. Colorectal cancer disrupts normal bowel movements, which can cause either diarrhea or constipation (sometimes both, in succession). If you never used to suffer from these symptoms and are seeing an increase in them then the best way to make sure that it isn't something more sinister is by getting yourself to a colorectal cancer screening clinic. By ruling this possibility out, you not only will feel a wave of relief but also have a clearer direction of what to look for next.
Weight Loss
While weight loss might be seen as a positive symptom, it does not always coincide with your lifestyle habits. If you haven't changed your eating or exercising regime but are still steadily losing weight then there is a chance this is because of the presence of something attacking your body internally. Unexplained weight loss is never something to leave unchecked, as it can go even further and start to have an impact on your day-to-day activities. If you do start shedding pounds, seek a doctor as soon as you can for further information.
Blood In Your Stool
If you find yourself noticing a lot more blood in your stool than you have ever seen before you should immediately have warning bells going off in your head. Blood is not naturally found in stool and depending on the color and how vividly red it is, you may have a rather serious issue you need to get treatment for. Often people will put off seeking treatment for blood in their stool because they assume it will go away, but even if it does you should still want to find out what the issue is and where it came from so that it does not rear its head again or get worse.