Symptoms to Watch Out For With Throat Cancer

Throat cancer symptoms can vary based on where in the throat the cancer is located, as well as how advanced the cancer is. Symptoms can be similar to those of other common diseases, which is why you need a medical diagnosis if you have any concerning symptoms.

Throat cancer includes various types of head and neck cancers, including cancers of the:

• oropharynx (middle of the throat)
• hypopharynx (bottom of the throat)
• nasopharynx (upper throat, behind your nose)
• larynx (voice box)

Some of the symptoms of throat cancer, such as a hoarse voice or throat pain, are common to numerous health conditions and are experienced by many people. As such, some people may suspect that they have throat cancer based on their symptoms alone.

But it’s not possible to check for throat cancer at home. You must see a trained medical professional if you’re concerned that you may have symptoms of throat cancer.

Why self-diagnosis is dangerous

The internet is full of health information, with over 100,000 websites giving out health advice. In fact, according to a 2020 study, searching for health information is the third most common reason that people use the internet.

Students who make it into medical school pay a lot of money for the privilege of eventually becoming a doctor, with medical school students in the class of 2019 graduating with an average of $201,490 in student debt, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges as reported by Nerd Wallet. That’s an increase of 2.5% from 2018.

The problem is that anyone can post an article on the internet, and it’s not always possible to verify whether the information is accurate or trustworthy. In general, it’s best to get health information from websites that are carefully reviewed by medical experts.

Even if the online health information is credible, it can be difficult to interpret information and apply it to your specific health situation.

Only a highly skilled medical professional can diagnose you with a health condition, and that’s only after examining you, taking your health history, running diagnostic tests, and ruling out other possible causes.