Being wary of symptoms that mimic other health problems

The symptoms of some ailments mimic others, says Lisa Salmon

SOME conditions have symptoms that mimic other health problems, or which can be very vague and inconsistent. Also, there aren’t always straightforward tests available, which can make determining a diagnosis far more complex – or, if a condition is especially rare, it might only be considered once everything else has been ruled out. Here are six of the illnesses that can be harder to spot in initial medical consultations...

CERTAIN CANCERS: A 2011 Rarer Cancers Foundation study found that a quarter of cancer patients were only diagnosed once the disease had spread, with many having been initially sent home by their GPs, who dismissed the symptoms as something less serious.