Page 22 - Florida Sentinel 6-18-21

Health
Unexplained Weight Changes
Unless you’re definitely trying to
lose or gain weight, significant
changes in weight should never be
ignored. Unintended weight loss
may be an indication of serious ill-
nesses such as diabetes, congestive
heart failure, and cancer. Weight
gain, on the other hand, could indi-
cate issues with the heart, digestive
system, or thyroid. As an African
American man, it’s important to pay
attention to these changes because studies show that African Amer- icans continue to be more at risk for the illnesses listed above.
Unexplained Bruising
Anyone can experience bruising, especially if they live a highly active lifestyle. However, if you’re seeing unexplained bruising or bruising in strange areas like your fingers, it’s time to see a doctor.
This kind of bruising can be a sign of a blood disorder such as sickle cell disease. or certain cancers like leukemia. It’s es- sential to look out for the for- mer illness as sickle cell disease can affect up to one in every 500 African American.
Pain in the Jaw
Feeling pain in the jaw is one of the little-known signs of a heart attack or chronic heart disease. This diagnosis is more likely if the pain occurs during an activity but goes away while resting. If you feel pain in your jaw along with numbness, neck pain, pressure in the chest, or other signs of a heart attack, you need to see a doctor quickly.
As an African American man, you’re already more likely to develop heart-related issues. Ignoring any signs of heart dis- ease is a bad idea.
Having Trouble Swallowing
The potential illnesses that can make it difficult to swallow range in their severity. It could be acid reflux disease, an aller- gic reaction, or even esophageal cancer. If you’re having acid re- flux regularly, health profes- sionals warn that it could also increase your likelihood of de- veloping precancerous condi- tions in the esophagus. This symptom is one that many men are likely to ignore so keep an eye out for it.
Change in Bowel Movements
Health professionals en- courage men to pay attention to any changes in their bowel movements. If you have fewer or more bowel movements than normal for an extended period, it’s best to see a doctor. Any signs of bleeding or feeling no relief after going to the bath- room could mean that you have colon cancer.
African American men, in particular, need to be careful be- cause studies have shown that they are not only more like to develop colon cancer, but also likely to have a late-stage diag- nosis.
Trouble With Urinating
When combined with erec- tile dysfunction or blood in the urine, trouble urinating can be a sign of prostate cancer. Ac- cording to recent health statis- tics, African American men are experiencing higher rates of prostate-related issues, includ- ing cancer.
Even if you’re not experienc- ing all the symptoms of prostate cancer, getting the issue checked out is highly recom- mended.
Jaundice in the Eyes
Jaundice typically presents as a yellowing in the white por- tion of the eyes. It shows that there is too much bilirubin in the blood, which suggests a problem with the liver. In some cases, jaundice can be one of the signs of pancreatic cancer. Ac- cording to recent health statis- tics, African American men are up to 60% more likely to have liver cancer than other ethnici- ties. While pancreatic cancer is not high on the list of cancers that affect African Americans, it’s still a valid concern.
Persistent Itching
While a persistent itch could be a simple irritation that a der- matologist can address, it can also be a sign of something much worse. In some cases, an itch that won’t go away can indi- cate a type of cancer, such as lymphoma or myeloma, or dia- betes. This is especially impor- tant to note for African American men as diabetes con- tinues to be a troubling health issue for them.
PAGE 10-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021