Some diseases can sneak up on you without a single warning sign or with symptoms so nonspecific that it may take your physician precious time to figure out what's ailing you. Since early detection often results in more effective treatment, illnesses that slip under your (and your doctor's) radar can be especially dangerous. Therefore, it's essential that you take the time to get in tune with your own body, schedule regular medical checkups, and become familiar with these silent sicknesses.
1. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It starts with a blood clot lodged in a vein deep in your body, often your legs. It can then move up and block the blood flow to your lungs, a condition known as a pulmonary embolism, which can cause serious organ damage and even death. Sometimes, pain, swelling, or a warm sensation in your leg can indicate DVT, but often, there are no warning signs at all.
2. Pancreatic cancer. Because symptoms such as jaundice, upper abdominal pain, and weight loss surface only when pancreatic cancer is in its advanced stages, it's considered one of the deadliest forms of cancer. Those who smoke, are obese, or have a family history of pancreatic cancer or disorders are most at risk.
3. Silent myocardial infarction (MI). Another name for a heart attack, an MI occurs when blood supply to part of the heart is interrupted. Symptoms can vary, from chest pain to shortness of breath to dizzy spells. Frighteningly, approximately 25 percent of all MI cases are silent, meaning they exhibit no symptoms. Silent heart attacks are most common in the elderly and those with diabetes.
4. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), HIV initially exhibits no symptoms, though some of those infected may come down with flu-like symptoms two to four weeks after exposure. However, once a person does become infected with HIV, he or she is immediately capable of passing it on to others, especially through unprotected sexual contact or sharing hypodermic needles. If you do engage in risky behavior, the best way to protect yourself and the people around you is to get tested.
5. Diabetes. This serious condition can remain undiagnosed for quite some time because symptoms such as excessive thirst, frequent urination, and irritability may not set off your alarm bells at first, especially if you lead a hectic lifestyle. Thankfully, the statistics are getting better: According to the American Diabetes Association, only 24 percent of cases went undiagnosed in 2007, compared with 30 percent in 2005 and 50 percent in 1997.
