Can cervical cancer be treated? This is the central question uppermost in the minds of women who have been diagnosed with this condition or are liable to get it. If you are at risk of getting cervical cancer, it may be good to know the disease’s warning signs.

The truth is that when cervical cancer is detected early, it can be cured. So, besides the Pap test done for screening, one should look out for some common warning signs of cervical cancer. If one notices these signs, one should get in touch with her doctor at once.

The warning signs are as follows:
Usually, the symptoms are not alarming per se because they can be related to infections that are not as serious as cancer, but need to be treated right away.

• Perhaps the most alarming sign of cervical sign is unusual vaginal discharge or bleeding. This sign is seen as something potentially serious by most women.
• Burning sensations and itching in the vaginal region
• Unexplained fatigue/loss of appetite and weight loss
• Urgent and frequent urination
• Abdominal bloating
• Bleeding post-intercourse
• Bleeding in between menstrual cycles
• Bleeding after douching
• Bleeding after any pelvic exam
• Heavier and lengthy menstrual cycles
• Pain during intercourse-This often happens because the tumor has grown throughout the reproductive organs.
• Pelvic pains or pain in the lower back or appendix may indicate problems in reproductive organs like the cervix.
• Bleeding after menopause
• Foul-smelling vaginal discharge happens when there is a lack of oxygen in the tumor, some cells can die, and this tends to infect the cancerous tumor. The infection then produces a foul smell, a common sign of cervical cancer; the discharge can be watery, brown, and even mixed with blood.
• Leg pain happens typically when the cancer is in an advanced stage and starts to press the nerves on the pelvic wall. Swelling may occur as a result, and this could be a sign of many other medical issues. But if it is accompanied by pain in the leg, it is probably a sign of cervical cancer.

While these are the common warning signs of cervical cancer that you should know of, experiencing any of these may not necessarily mean that you have this cancer. Such symptoms could be because of various other health problems, like underlying infections. It is ideal to make an appointment at the earliest opportunity to get yourself examined and tested. Many of these signs and symptoms do not come across as terribly alarming because most women have experienced such things at different times in their lives. For instance, abdominal bloating is rather common because of hormone changes during menstrual cycles. The frequent urge to urinate is also common in post-menopausal women, and this is also not always alarming.

This is why every woman must be aware of her own body and know what is normal. For instance, vaginal bleeding that occurs in between menstrual cycles or post-menopause is not normal. So, in times like these, women need to pay more attention to the duration, timing, or heaviness of her periods to see whether she also experiences abdominal or back pains.