Most of you will be aware of the obvious signs and symptoms if something is very wrong, but do you know about the less evident signs that your body reveals as a warning?
The not-so-obvious symptoms, however, may leave you questioning whether you need to visit your doctor. Here is a list of warning symptoms worth reading. You may find some of the symptoms surprising. But, it’s good to be aware of the significance of these symptoms and when it is important to get timely medical care. So don’t ignore the following ten signs and symptoms – some of which are not obviously alarming. Just trust that your body has a unique way of informing you of its needs.
Signs and Symptoms That You Sould See your Doctor
- Unexplained Weight Loss – If you find you are losing excessive weight without intending to do so, see your doctor. Unintentional excessive weight loss is considered to be a loss of more than: five percent of your weight in one month or ten percent of your weight within six to 12 months. An unexplained drop in weight could be caused by a number of conditions, such as an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), depression, liver disease, cancer or other non-cancerous disorders that interfere with how well your body absorbs nutrients.
- Persistent Fever – If you have a normal immune system and you are not undergoing treatment, such as chemotherapy for cancer, a persistent low grade fever – over 100.4F – should be checked if it lasts a week or more. If you have a fever with shaking chills, or a high fever – greater than 103F – or if you are otherwise severely ill, see your doctor as soon as possible. If you have an immune system problem or take immune-suppressing drugs, fever may not be a reliable warning sign and your primary doctor or oncologist can tell you what would signal a need for an evaluation. Persistent fever can signal hidden infections, which could be anything from a urinary tract infection to tuberculosis. At other times, malignant conditions – such as lymphomas and other underlying cancers – cause prolonged or persistent fevers, as can some medications and conditions, and reactions to certain drugs.
- Shortness of Breath – Feeling short of breath – beyond the typical stuffy nose or shortness of breath from exercise – could be a sign of an underlying health problem. If you ever find that you are unable to get your breath or that you are gasping for air or wheezing, seek emergency medical care. Feeling breathless with or without exertion or when reclining also is a symptom that needs to be medically evaluated without delay. Causes for breathlessness may include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic bronchitis, asthma, heart problems, anxiety, panic attacks, pneumonia, a blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism), pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension.
- Unexplained Changes in Bowel Habits – See your doctor if you have any of the following: severe diarrhea lasting more than two days, mild diarrhea lasting a week, constipation that lasts for more than two weeks, unexplained urges to have a bowel movement, bloody diarrhea and black or tarry-coloured stools. Changes in bowel habits may signal a bacterial infection or a viral or parasitic infection. Among other possible causes are inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease and colon cancer.
- Mental Status Changes – Immediate medical evaluation is warranted if any of the following occur: sudden or gradual confused thinking, disorientation, sudden aggressive behaviour, hallucinations in somebody who has never had them. Changes in behaviour or thinking may be due to infection, head injury, stroke, low blood sugar or even medications, especially ones you have only recently started taking.
- New or More Severe Headaches (especially if you are over age 50) – Seek prompt medical attention if you experience: a sudden and severe headache, often called a thunderclap headache, because it comes on suddenly like a clap a thunder, a headache accompanied by a fever, stiff neck, rash, mental confusion, seizures, vision changes, weakness, numbness, speaking difficulties, scalp tenderness or pain with chewing and a headache that begins or worsens after a head injury. These headache symptoms may be caused by a stroke, blood vessel inflammation (arteritis), meningitis, brain tumour, aneurism or bleeding on the brain after a head trauma.
- Short-term Loss of Vision, Speaking or Movement Control – If you have these signs and symptoms, minutes count. These are signs of a possible stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Seek immediate emergency medical care if you experience any of the following: sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg on one side of your body, sudden dimness, blurring or loss of vision, loss of speech, or trouble taking or understanding speech, a thunderclap headache, sudden dizziness, unsteadiness or a fall.
- Flashes of Light – The sudden sensation of flashing lights may mean the beginning of retinal detachment. Immediate medical care may be needed to save vision in the affected eye.
- Feeling Full After Eating Very Little – Feeling full sooner than normal after eating and having persistent nausea and vomiting that lasts more than a week are warning signs that should be checked by your doctor. There are many possible causes, including pancreatic cancer, stomach cancer and ovarian cancer.
- Hot, Red or Swollen Joint – These warning signs may occur with a joint infection, which requires emergency care to save the joint and keep bacteria from spreading elsewhere. Other causes may include gout or certain types of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Act Quickly When You Have Serious Medical Symptoms
If you experience chest pain, severe abdominal pain or unexpected bleeding you should always see your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room. With the less obvious symptoms above it is advisable to visit your doctor anyway. If your symptoms turn out not to be serious or benign at least that short unpleasant check up will give you peace of mind.
Sources:
The copyright of the article Ten Reasons To See Your Doctor in Patient Health Education is owned by Ankie Renique. Permission to republish Ten Reasons To See Your Doctor in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
 |
 |
