Your voice is part of what makes you immediately recognizable to friends and family members. You also use your voice to complete your job duties, participate in social activities and even engage in recreational pursuits. Put simply, if you lose your voice, your life is unlikely ever to be the same again.
At one time or another, virtually everyone has lost the ability to speak. Whether due to overexertion, a common cold or fatigue, hoarseness is usually a minor inconvenience. If you have worked with or near asbestos, though, a hoarse voice may be one the earliest signs something is seriously wrong.
Do not ignore hoarseness
According to the American Cancer Society, many of the symptoms of mesothelioma are the same as less serious maladies. Hoarseness is one of these.
While it may be ok to give your hoarseness a day or two to improve, you should not ignore it for much longer. After all, if doctors can diagnose your mesothelioma early, you may have a significantly better chance of recovering completely.
Remember your symptoms
Going to the doctor’s office can be an intimidating and stressful experience. To ensure you do not forget to talk to your physician about your hoarseness or other possible mesothelioma symptoms, consider writing down your symptoms. Then, take your notes with you to the doctor to ensure he or she knows exactly what you are going through.
While your hoarseness may be nothing to worry about, it can also be a symptom of a potentially life-threatening condition. Ultimately, no doctor is going to think negatively of you for scheduling an appointment to get to the bottom of your hoarseness.
