Senior Care: Symptoms of Lung Cancer in Seniors
Senior Care: Seniors have a high risk of developing lung cancer.
November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month and it’s a great time to learn more about lung cancer in seniors, including some of the symptoms that you should be watching for in your senior loved one. The average age when people are diagnosed with lung cancer is 70, which means seniors are the primary people who are diagnosed with lung cancer each year. Seniors who smoke have an increased risk of developing lung cancer. Seniors who have smoked should try to quit. Quitting smoking will greatly improve your health and it’s never too late to quit smoking. Senior care providers can be on hand to help assist your senior with this.
Senior Care in Lake Forest IL: Lung Cancer
Some of the most common symptoms of lung cancer in seniors are:
-Coughing And Shortness of Breath
The most obvious symptom of lung cancer is a cough that won’t go away and shortness of breath. Everyone coughs sometimes but if your senior loved one has a cough that won’t seem to go away or that gets worse they should be checked for lung cancer, especially if they have smoked for a long time. Shortness of breath during exercise or physical activity is fairly normal, but if your senior loved one gets out of breath walking down the hall or getting up from a chair or while doing other easy activities or no activity at all that’s something that should be checked out by a doctor. A senior care provider can document any incidents they notice of coughing or shortness of breath that your loved one experiences.
-Repeated Lung Illnesses Like Pneumonia
If your senior loved one keeps getting lung ailments like pneumonia and they have not been prone to repeated infections and illnesses in the past then they should be checked by a doctor for any signs of lung cancer. If they have risk factors for lung disease like smoking it’s a good idea to get X-rays or an MRI done on a regular basis to make sure their lungs are healthy.
-Pain In The Back And Shoulders
Seniors who experience sharp sudden pain in their back or shoulders when they are laughing, being active, talking, or breathing deeply should see a doctor to be checked for lung cancer. Pain in the back can be caused by many different conditions but it’s best to at least have a doctor rule out lung cancer as a cause of that pain right away. If it was lung cancer catching it as early as possible would make it more likely that it could be successfully treated.
-Hoarseness Of Voice
Aging can naturally cause some changes in your senior loved one’s voice, but if you notice that your senior parent’s voice has become hoarse and that hoarseness doesn’t go away or dissipate like it would if it was caused by a temporary condition like the flu or cold then your senior loved one should see a doctor to be examined for lung cancer. A senior care provider can let you know if they notice any changes in your loved one’s voice over time.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Senior Care in Lake Forest, IL, call the caring staff at LifeCare Home Health & In-Home Services. Call (888) 606-4199 LifeCare serves all of the Chicago Metro Area.
Sources:
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
https://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-types/lung-cancer/symptoms
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