There are many innocuous ailments that you can safely treat yourself, or pop and painkiller and suffer no ill effects from. There are however more serious messages that our bodies send us that we had better pay attention to. Many general aches and pains, colds and minor injuries are a part of life and are not indicative of any underlying medical emergencies or serious illnesses. Some symptoms are masks for more serious medical problems that can kill you. Here we have a look at ten health symptoms that you really shouldn’t ignore.
Chest pain
Heart problems are one of the leading killers of both men and women. The traditionally recognised symptoms of pain or numbness in the left arm or upper torso, chest or neck shouldn’t be ignored under any circumstances. Some experts claim that heart problems should be investigated if there’s pain anywhere between the top of the head and the waist line.
Recurring indigestion
Indigestion can be the result of one curry too many the night before or of more serious conditions that lead to ulcers and a host of other medical problems. Indigestion that occurs repeatedly over a short length of time should be a good reason to get a medical evaluation.
Changes in moles
Discolouration, growth or irregular borders on moles can be red flags for skin cancer. Prognosis is excellent when there’s been early detection.
Cold Sores
Acne is one thing but a staph infection is an entirely different thing. The problem is that they often look very similar.
Severe headaches
Migraine headaches are serious and should be diagnosed by a medical professional. Headaches can also be indicative of neurological damage, brain tumors and other potentially serious problems.
Abdominal pain
Most abdominal pain is irritating though harmless. If the pain has a pattern or is acute it might be serious. Severe pain should never be overlooked. Potentially fatal medical emergencies are also indicated by abdominal pain that may include appendicitis and bowel obstructions.
High fever
Everyone has a low grade fever at one time or another. Fever is associated with everything from an infected splinter to a mild case of bronchitis as well as a host of other irritating but non-fatal medical conditions. If the fever is high or persistent contact a doctor or the hospital right away.
Prostate changes in men
Differences in the prostrate is evidenced by swelling or increased urination which can be indicative of prostate cancer. This form of cancer is a leading form of terminal cancer in men.
Lumps on the breast
Lumps associated with fat cells develop over time and are completely harmless. Lumps on the breast might also indicate the development of precancerous cells or the outright presence of growing cancer. Lumps on the breast should never be ignored. Though not all lumps are malignant the discovery of a lump on the breast should be diagnosed.
Forgetfulness and abrupt personality changes in old age.
Age brings a slowing of brain function and a normal forgetfulness. This symptom can also be the beginning of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer patients become confused, unable to recognize family members and may become violent.
