20 health symptoms you should never overlook
Galen,better known as Galen of Pergamon, was a Greek physician, surgeon and philosopher in the Roman Empire, who claimed that with the inception of second century, symptoms would tag along to diseases as shadows follow the body. More often than not, the signal that our body sends to us indicates that something is not working well. We may perceive a simple headache or swollen feet as a temporary discomfort in most cases, although sometimes it can also be an indicator of a serious illness.
This article is not here to make you a hypochondriac and to collapse at the first sign of discomfort but it is there to make sure you don’t ignore important signs!
“One of the problems of our health system ( even though it is so good and envied in other countries) is the overcrowdedness that originates in hospital emergency rooms, as a result of the number of patients who come with minor ailments that can be treated perfectly by the doctor of family ”, affirms José Luis Llisterri, president of the Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians (SEMERGEN).
The opposite scenario also lies true, there are also patients who don’t seek professional help, even if the symptoms are more than evident and require a specialized opinion.
A study conducted by the Cancer Research Institute of the United Kingdom, published in 2014 in the journal PLOS ONE indicated that more than half of British responders - 53% of 2,000 - had suffered from symptoms that could indicate the presence of cancer, but only 2% of people actually considered this seriously. More than one third of the responders ignored the warning signs and symptoms and the thought that these symptoms could be serious, didn’t even cross their mind.
Given the results, Dr. Katriina Whitaker, lead author of the investigation, said: “We have to send the message that symptoms that do not disappear, particularly those that are considered warning signs, should not be ignored, and we must go to the doctor to seek help. "
Here are some of those signs that we should be more attentive to, as a timely diagnosis can be synonymous with cure.
The Spanish Society of Rheumatology (SER) has quantified that: 80% of the population suffers from back pain at some point in life.
It is often due to efforts or poor posture, but it may indicate the existence of a herniated disc. The pain it produces in the neck, radiates towards the shoulder and arm. It is very typical the sensation of tingling and numbness in the latter and in the hand. In sciatica or radiculopathy the discomfort is located in the lumbar and extends along the pinched nerve to the buttocks and leg.
Itching is a defence mechanism that causes the patient to scratch or rub to relieve it, and thus eliminate harmful parasites or other foreign bodies present in the skin .
In most cases it does not go beyond a simple more or less intense discomfort, but temporary and without relevance to health.
When the pruritus becomes chronic we are at the warning of a disease; Dermatitis, allergies, hives and skin infections often cause itching.
This also manifests some metabolic disorders - diabetes and thyroid problems; liver ailments such as cirrhosis; anemia and other blood diseases; certain types of cancer - lymphoma, leukemia, plasmacytoma -; as well as obsessive compulsive disorder and parasitic infestations by intestinal worms or lice.
At least half of the men over forty have suffered from an erection problem at some time. It is only serious if it becomes permanent. It may be caused by psychological factors - the fear of sexual failure -, by the consumption of tobacco and alcohol, or can be a sign of a cardiovascular disorder, hormonal imbalances or neurological injuries. It often arises as a side effect after the consumption of some medications.
If they look pink and translucent, you can remain calm. Alterations in its color can indicate a dermatological problem, and also systemic diseases –which affect various organs of the body–, fungal infections, poisonings or sequelae due to the consumption of certain drugs.
Hair whitening is the result of natural discoloration linked to aging. This phenomenon affects both men and women and usually appears between the ages of 35 and 40. Although young people whose hair begins to turn grey, ahead of time, should be alert because it can be a symptom of anemia or alterations in the thyroid gland. Sometimes it points to a deficiency in the intake of some vitamins, basically those of the so-called B complex.
The body resorts to a very effective involuntary reflex, coughing, to keep the airways clear. But the constant jolts it causes sometimes can cause headaches, nausea or urinary incontinence. Pulmonologists consider cough persistent when it lasts more than three weeks.
If you do not have an allergy or chronic asthma and you are not a smoker, you should study the reason for this symptom, since in most cases it hides some respiratory abnormality such as: allergies, acute or chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchial asthma, whooping cough, diphtheria, tuberculosis, laryngitis or pneumonia, among other conditions.
Poorly adjusted glasses, great physical efforts or excessive tension of the muscles of the face cause the long headache. This symptom is also a sign of tired eyesight, and one of the signs of such common conditions as the flu, the cold and the allergy. In addition, it arises due to lack of sleep and if you have consumed a lot of alcohol or other toxic substances.
It represents one of the most common discomforts - that about 3% of the population suffers daily - that may sometimes indicate the existence of more important diseases: metabolic disorders such as hypoglycemia, meningitis, encephalitis, stroke, circulatory difficulties, stroke and brain tumors.
It represents one of the most common discomforts - that about 3% of the population suffers daily - that may sometimes indicate the existence of more important diseases: metabolic disorders such as hypoglycemia, meningitis, encephalitis, stroke, circulatory difficulties, stroke and brain tumors.
We all, at some point, have felt weak or exhausted due to lack of sleep, an intense day at work, an exhausting trip, an overwhelming situation or excessive exercise. But behind prolonged tiredness, serious disorders such as anemia, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, cancer or chronic fatigue syndrome sometimes hide.
The involuntary habit of clenching or grinding your teeth, known as bruxism, often causes jaw pain. Some people do it when they feel stressed, and many others, without being aware of it, while they sleep.
This symptom can also be a consequence of osteomyelitis, an infection that travels through the bloodstream and affects the surrounding bones and tissues, in this case, of the jaw. More exceptionally it appears among the symptoms of angina pectoris, although the most characteristic signs of this heart alarm are oppressive pain in the chest and intense discomfort in the shoulders, arms, neck and back.
Cancers of the esophagus, stomach or pharynx manifest with something as simple as not being able to swallow food normally. Another sign of such diseases is pain in the back of the mouth. All these tumors occur more frequently among smokers and heavy drinkers.
Having diarrhea a couple of days a year is normal, only if it is not accompanied by other health problems like a soft diet and adequate hydration are enough to improve quickly. But if it lasts more than three days and the patient does not notice any progress, you should see a doctor. Sometimes it can be caused by something as temporary as nerves before an exam, however, in other cases it can be the symptom of an infectious diseases, food poisoning or intolerance to certain foods.
Constipation is one of the most common disorders in the population. People who suffer from it pass stool with difficulty, less than three times a week and sometimes with pain - the stools are also hard. Constipation may also appear due to a low fiber diet or as a side effect of some drugs.
We must be careful, especially if constipation appears in people over fifty years, there are changes in the caliber of stool and obstructive symptoms or blood in the excretions.
One of the most common signs of a cold is annoying hoarseness, which in its most acute cases can lead to aphonia. It is caused by the inflammation of the vocal cords and often disappears on its own after two weeks, once the cold is cured. It occurs among people suffering from gastroesophageal reflux , and is also due to allergic processes or the inhalation of irritating substances: tobacco, alcohol ...
It also causes aphonia to force the vocal cords talking for hours or singing loudly. If you do not finish healing you can suspect a thyroid malfunction.
A sedentary lifestyle, fluid retention, tight clothing or a heat can be a reason causing arms and legs to swell. However, if the discomfort remains and is accompanied by respiratory problems, this could be a sign of congestive heart failure. These symptoms also appear when a lot of weight has been lost and the body begins to consume the only reserves that it has left: proteins.
A healthy adult gets a cold once every three to four months - a child can double that frequency. But if you live next to a handkerchief, you should go to the doctor, to rule out any serious respiratory diseases.
Where have I left the keys? What day is today? If you ask yourself these questions from time to time or the words you have on the tip of your tongue resist coming out, do not worry: the specialists do not give more importance to these quirks. More than half of those over fifty complain about the same. Ana Martínez, researcher in neurodegenerative diseases of the CSIC, explains that “ the loss of memory linked to recent events does not have to make us suspect that we have Alzheimer's disease. For this possibility to be plausible, other factors, such as genetics, advanced age - it usually appears after the age of seventy -, changes in personality or social relationships, spatio-temporal disorientation and problems to recognize family members [must be present]”.
According to a study that was presented at the 2014 Congress of Cardiovascular Diseases, the presence of a diagonal fold in the earlobe is directly related to symptoms of a heart attack and stroke. “ The fold whose inclination marks are at an angle of 45º in both ears, is considered a marker of cardiovascular disease,'' explains Claudia Rodríguez-López, from the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health of the Faculty of Medicine of the Autonomous University of Madrid. The ear along with the nose is the only organ that grows throughout life, so when a person suffers from atherosclerosis - hardening of the arteries - also suffers small vascular lesions in various areas. In the event that they occur in the ear, unequal growth originates that encourages that crease to arise.
The difficulty in perceiving odors is one of the symptoms that are most likely to go unnoticed. Aside from alterations caused by a cold or an allergy, the loss of smell could be related to Parkinson's . In this condition, proteins called Lewy bodies accumulate in the patient's brain. During the first phase of the disease, these clusters affect the olfactory bulb and alter the identification of odors.
Gingivitis - inflammation and bleeding of the gums - usually occurs due to bacterial presence in food debris that are trapped between the teeth. It is a very frequent disease that 80% of the population suffers at some time in their lives, especially young people and teenagers. With basic hygienic measures, it ends up healing itself. But if left untreated, the infection and inflammation can spread from the gums to the ligaments and bones that support the teeth.
Here is another disease that appears in the mouth area, known as periodontitis, which is the main cause of tooth decay in adults. Studies have confirmed that those who suffer from periodontitis are often in the it represents an important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases.
Up to 30% of the population suffers from dyspepsia, that is, the difficulty to digest. It manifests frequently after a meal, a night of revelry or spicy dinners or alcohol and is accompanied by a bouquet of symptoms, such as heartburn, nausea, flatulence and abdominal distension.
If you don’t stop taking antacids and symptoms persist for a week, you should go to the health center, because these symptoms may be pointing to a peptic ulcer, gastritis and, in the many severe cases, stomach cancer.
Being incompetent for a short period of time is usually normal as a result of temporary discomfort, work stress, family problems and even depression. If the lack of appetite is prolonged, it could indicate the existence of other health problems.
In the case of anorexia nervosa, the relationship of patients with food is completely altered and in order to return to normal, it requires a prolonged treatment. Other times that reluctance can respond to organic causes such as cardiac, gastrointestinal problems - toxicities, food intolerances, irritable bowel -, pancreatitis, diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands, hepatitis, biliary alterations and neurological diseases - dementias. There are very telling signs for doctors. For example, unexplained weight loss of five or more kilos is often the first sign of a cancer of the pancreas, stomach, esophagus or lung.