Health Symptoms That You Should Never Ignore
Not every ache or pain is an indication that it requires serious attention.
Even so, it is important not to discount some symptoms that take place suddenly and stay for some time.
This is especially true for women whose symptoms differ from the symptoms of men and whose risk for certain diseases increases after menopause.
Symptoms never to be ignored
1. Problems with vision, speaking, or mobility
Difficulty speaking, blurred vision or numbness, or paralysis on one side are considered classic signs of a stroke.
They may only last for a few minutes.
They are called transient ischemic attacks, TIA, or mini-strokes.
Any one of these symptoms requires immediate emergency care. Quick treatment usually reduces the risk of brain damage.
And if the problem is TIA, your doctor can give you treatment to prevent more TIA’s or a more significant stroke.
2. A sudden or extremely bad headache
Many women frequently suffer from headaches. It is important not to brush them aside.
Any severe headache is a potential medical emergency because it could be caused by an aneurysm, bleeding in the brain, a stroke, a brain tumor, or meningitis.
Medical care is definitely called for if there is a headache following a head injury or there is a fever together with the headache.
A severe headache with a seizure, rash, or double vision is also significant enough to get emergency treatment
3. Unexplained loss of weight
Losing weight without dieting is not as good as it sounds.
Loss of appetite may indicate some medical problems such as hyperthyroidism, depression, cancer, or liver disease.
There may also be a problem with the way you are absorbing food.
Call your doctor if you lost more than 5 percent of your weight in one month or 10 percent of your weight in 6 months without trying.
It is important to pay attention to your body.
Knowing the difference between how you usually respond to a cold or eating something that did not agree with you and a symptom that is not part of your norm is important as you get older.
Things happen in life. Be aware and take care.
4. Unexplained change in bowel habits.
Knowing what is typical for you is the place to start.
However, if you have mild diarrhea that lasts for more than a week, constipation that lasts more than two weeks, or unexplained and frequent urges to have a bowel movement, you should see your doctor.
You should also see your doctor immediately if you have changes in your bowel habits such as bloody stools, or black or tar-like-looking stools.
Changes in bowel habits may indicate a bacterial infection such as salmonella or a parasitic infestation. Other possible causes are inflammatory bowel disease or colon cancer.
5. Persistent or high fever
The fever itself is not a disease but it is a symptom that your body is unhappy about something.
Most of the time it means your body is fighting an infection, viral or bacterial.
A low-grade fever that is over 103 and lasts for 4 days or more should be checked out by your doctor.
A persistent fever may also be caused by something as common as a urinary tract infection or even tuberculosis. A sudden high fever requires immediate attention.
6. Feeling Full after eating very little
When you feel fuller than normal after eating only a small portion of food, it can be a sign that you have a number of gastrointestinal problems ranging from appendicitis or eating spoiled food.
It also could be caused by acid reflux or irritable bowel syndrome.
See your doctor if this feeling continues for a few days. See your doctor sooner if you find you are also vomiting, bloating, or have a fever.
Although many websites have checklists for particular symptoms, it is still important to have your doctor diagnose your symptoms.
Never try to self-diagnose yourself.
