There are many health conditions and diseases which have no real symptoms until the problem has progressed significantly. However, for those who know they are at an increased risk for developing a specific health problem, there are sometimes tests which can identify a condition and a treatment plan can still be effective.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
There are a significant number of sexually transmitted diseases which have no immediate symptoms. They’re especially dangerous because the symptoms are silent, but also because people are less likely to discuss them openly. Even when an individual believes they may have been exposed to an STD, they may be reluctant to seek health advice because of embarrassment.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a collection of more than 150 viruses that are similar in nature which are differentiated by the number added to the name. There are occasionally warts that appear when a patient has contracted one of these viruses, but they don’t always appear even if the virus is active. There is a vaccine that will protect you from HPV, but there is no cure. It is important to get properly diagnosed early on, because HPV can lead to some forms of cancer. If diagnosed, you’ll need to be screened for cancer more regularly.
There are many different STDs which have no symptoms such as:
- *Chlamydia
- *Gonorrhea
- *Herpes
- *Early stages of HIV
Even if you have no symptoms of STDs, it is important to be regularly tested if you are sexually active, This will ensure that you haven’t inadvertently contracted a disease that could eventually lead to a more serious health concern such as cancer.
Cardiac Health
When people think of cardiac diseases or related conditions, they typically think of often easily recognizable heart attack. The classic symptoms of chest pain, sweating, and nausea are readily identifiable but there are many other cardiac conditions that are just as deadly and far less noticeable. A heart attack isn’t always obvious. A silent myocardial infarction (MI) is similar to a heart attack but without any symptoms. It makes up an estimated 25 percent of all cardiac incidents.
High blood pressure is often referred to as the silent killer. It can exist for years before a patient is aware there’s a problem. There are several factors that contribute to developing high blood pressure, such as:
- *Smoking
- *Obesity
- *Lack of physical activity and routine exercise
In rare cases, someone may not exhibit any of these risk factors and still have high blood pressure. Over time, the extra strain on the heart from increased blood pressure can result in a stroke or heart attack. It may also lead to dementia, blindness and kidney disease.
High cholesterol is another serious condition with silent symptoms. Common factors linked to high cholesterol include a high-fat diet, obesity, lack of exercise, diabetes, and a large waist circumference. High cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis which can decrease the amount of blood which is able to easily flow through your arteries. This can cause serious health problems and lead to coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.
Silent Diseases
There are many other silent diseases that don’t often fit into one general category. These include diabetes, osteoporosis, deep vein thrombosis, and kidney disease. Fortunately, for each of these, there are diagnostic tests which can identify them if the patient has any indication or medical history which puts them at higher risk for development.
More than one million new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year and nearly 600,000 people die from some form of cancer annually. Virtually every part of the human body can develop cancer. While this is a scary thought to consider, what is even more terrifying is the number of cancers which have virtually no symptoms during the most treatable, early stages. Some of the deadliest forms of cancer which may have no symptoms at first, include lung, colon, and pancreatic cancer.
With so many different diseases that don’t have any significant initial symptoms, it’s critical for you to make your annual checkups a priority. Update your doctor regularly about developments in your family’s medical history that could increase your risk, so the appropriate diagnostic tests can be given.
