Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow. It’s a condition that often goes undiagnosed for a while, mainly because its symptoms can be subtle or easily confused with less serious conditions. Detecting it early, though, is important for effective treatment. Luckily, you can learn all about myeloma by searching online, which might help you recognize early symptoms.
Subtle Signs of Myeloma
One reason myeloma goes unnoticed is because its early symptoms are general. People might have back pain, feel tired, and get frequent infections, which are common in other conditions too.1 But these subtle signs could mean an issue with the bone marrow, where cancerous plasma cells multiply uncontrollably.
For example, back pain might be an early sign. But often we think it’s due to age, not moving much, or an uncomfortable bed. In myeloma, back pain could come from weakened vertebrae due to cancerous cells affecting bones and marrow.
Feeling tired isn’t just from a busy life or lack of sleep. It could show that the body’s normal creation of healthy red blood cells is affected. Frequent infections could mean a weakened immune system because abnormal plasma cells take over the marrow, leaving less space for healthy cells.
Diagnosis Procedures
If you or a doctor suspect myeloma because of your symptoms, several tests can confirm or rule out the disease.2 A blood test is often the first step, as it can show abnormal calcium and protein levels, among other things.
Apart from blood tests, urine tests can check for strange proteins. Scans like X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans can also spot bone damage or lesions from myeloma.
Usually, a bone marrow biopsy is the main test for myeloma. During it, a bit of your marrow is taken out and looked at under a microscope.
Treatment Choices
Myeloma treatment has gotten better over the last few decades, thanks to medical advances. While there’s no known cure, treatments can make life longer and better.3
Chemotherapy is the oldest treatment, using drugs that target and kill cancer cells. But it also affects healthy cells, causing side effects like nausea and tiredness. Recently, targeted therapies are used. These drugs aim at cancer cells without harming normal ones, so side effects are less.
Another way is stem cell transplantation, where healthy marrow cells are put into the patient after their own marrow is destroyed, usually with strong chemotherapy. This helps the marrow grow back healthy.
Why Support Systems and Comfort Care Matter
Dealing with myeloma isn’t only about medical treatments; it’s also about having people to support you and thinking about comfort care. Family, friends, and doctors can offer emotional and psychological support, which is important when dealing with ongoing illness.
Support groups and counseling, online or in-person, can also give useful insights and emotional strength during this hard time.
Comfort care is also important. It’s about easing symptoms and stress from serious illnesses like myeloma. Comfort care wants to make life better for both patients and families by dealing with pain, emotional needs, and spiritual worries.
Changing Your Lifestyle for Myeloma
When you have myeloma, you might need to change your lifestyle a bit. Eating a balanced diet full of nutrients can help overall well-being and maybe make some side effects better. Exercising, with your doctor’s okay, can help keep muscles strong and fight tiredness.
Also, it’s important to keep talking to your doctors to manage the disease well. Regular check-ups help track how myeloma is doing and adjust treatments if needed.
Making these lifestyle changes isn’t just about getting by; it’s about making your life better while living with myeloma. Your healthcare team can help you with these changes, giving advice based on your unique health situation.
Learning More Today
Myeloma is complex, but medical research and treatment options are getting better. Knowing subtle signs can help find it early, giving a better chance for good management.
The best tool against myeloma is knowing about it. As you go through this hard time, get knowledge and talk to doctors for a full treatment plan.
