Don’t overlook when the body shows abnormal signs or prolonged itching; it could be a warning from your body.
Mr. Tieu, a 34-year-old advertising designer in China, found himself increasingly busy towards the end of the year with more projects and overtime to meet deadlines. However, three months ago, something uncomfortable bothered him—itchy scalp.
In fact, this symptom had existed before but only occurred when he slept at night. Recently, it became more frequent, but he didn’t pay much attention to it due to his busy schedule.
The more he scratched, the itchier it became, accompanied by an increase in dandruff sticking to his clothes, giving him an unkempt appearance. He finally had to ask his wife to buy some anti-itch shampoo from the pharmacy.
However, after half a month of using it without improvement, combined with work stress, Mr. Tieu became increasingly anxious. His scalp turned red and irritated.
One day, while dining with his wife, she asked, “Have you lost weight? Your face looks sunken.” Tieu replied, “Really? Maybe. I’ve been too busy.” He kept coughing before managing to speak and then quickly took cold medicine from his pocket and calmly resumed the conversation. “I have a cold or chronic pharyngitis causing continuous coughing.”
Concerned about her husband’s health, his wife took him to the hospital for a checkup after dinner. The result shocked everyone—Tieu had a rare and severe blood-related disease.
Despite active treatment, due to the advanced stage of the disease, Tieu eventually did not survive.
Tieu’s story serves as a wake-up call for everyone not to ignore abnormal body signs or prolonged itching, which could be a warning from the body.
4 instances of itching warning of serious illness or cancer
- Itching all over the body
- Diabetes: 15-35% of diabetes patients experience itching, usually concentrated in the armpits and thighs.
- Blood urea: High urea levels can cause itching, particularly on the forearms and upper back. Severe cases may lead to persistent itching throughout the day, affecting daily activities.
- Thyroid disorders: Thyroid dysfunction can change thyroid hormone levels, causing the release of histamine, leading to itching and swelling, especially in summer.
- Liver cancer: 40-60% of liver disease patients may experience itching due to impaired detoxification function.
- Itching around the anus
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- Rectal cancer: Itching around the anus, accompanied by symptoms such as discharge, discomfort, bleeding, may be a sign of colorectal cancer.
- Itching in the nose
- Sudden and unexplained itching in the nose, along with symptoms like ear ringing, blurred vision, poor memory, and nausea, may indicate brain tumors.
- Itching on the chest or armpits
- Prolonged, unexplained itching in the chest or armpits without redness or swelling may be a sign of breast cancer or lymph node cancer.
