What to Look for with Self-Checks at Home

CLEVELAND - February is National Self-Check Month. 

Self-checks are extremely important when it comes to not just early cancer detection but identifying other illnesses too. 

“Sometimes I look at them as sort of like your check engine light on the car, just like there would be a red flashing light that tells you that there's something wrong with a car and prompts you to bring that in and get serviced. Your body does the same thing. It gives you warning signs to look into that symptom a little bit further,” said John Hanicak, MD, family medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Hanicak said self-checks are going to be a little different for everyone. 

However, in general, he recommends looking for anything that may seem abnormal, such as unexplained weight loss, blood in your urine, bumps and bruises that won’t heal, and changes in bowel habits. 

For example, if you suddenly start going to the bathroom a lot more than you used to, that could be a sign of something more serious. 

He also suggests doing regular skin checks and documenting any moles or spots that start to look different. 

“Realize that you are your own person. There's nobody else in the world exactly like you. You've got your own set of ideas, your own family history and your own genetics. Know what is normal for you, and when that changes, that's the kind of thing that we would be interested in talking about,” said Dr. Hanicak. 

Dr. Hanicak notes that self-checks are not meant to replace cancer screenings, as those are just as important to keep up with.