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Health symptoms can serve as indications of underlying health conditions, and it is crucial not to think they would just go away. Identifying and addressing symptoms in a timely manner can help prevent complications and promote overall well-being. Whether it’s chest pain, difficulty breathing, sudden and severe headaches, unexplained weight loss, or persistent fatigue, these symptoms demand immediate attention. Additionally, changes in moles or skin lesions, unusual bleeding, suicidal thoughts, and sudden changes in vision should never be overlooked.
Doctors categorize symptoms into three categories:
- Remitting – symptoms that are improved or go away completely
- Relapsing – symptoms previously experienced and resolved, but return again after a period of improvement.
- Chronic – symptoms that persist for a long time
Seeking professional medical advice and diagnosis is essential to ensure proper treatment and care. While it’s always important to consult with a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and advice, there are certain health symptoms that should never be ignored.
Here are 11 red-flag symptoms that should get you heading to your doctor immediately to get an opinion as to what might be going on. While this list is not exhaustive, it is recommended that any unusual or concerning symptom should be evaluated by a healthcare provider to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.
1. Chest pain
Severe or persistent chest pain could indicate a heart attack or other cardiac issues, especially if accompanied by sudden, severe left arm pain. These are serious health symptoms that merit immediate emergency care.
2. Difficulty Breathing
Shortness of breath or sudden difficulty breathing for no apparent reason warrants immediate medical attention. Acute shortness of breath could be a sign of a serious respiratory condition or a heart problem.
3. Severe Abdominal Pain
Intense or recurring abdominal pain could indicate there could be something more serious causing that pain. Conditions such as appendicitis, gallstones, or an ectopic pregnancy, that cause persistent pain should not be ignored.
4. Sudden and Severe Headache
This is a major red flag: If you experience an abrupt, thunderclap headache that doesn’t go away quickly, especially if accompanied by neck stiffness or loss of sensation on one side of your body (especially in the arm and leg), it could be a sign of a brain haemorrhage or stroke.
5. Unexplained Weight Loss
Having extra pounds melt off for no apparent reason—no dietary change or new exercise regimen—your doctor needs to evaluate why. Unexplained weight loss is not a cause for celebration; it could be the first sign of a variety of diseases, including Crohn’s disease, cancer or metabolic disorders.
6. Changes in Moles or Skin Lesions
Any sudden changes in the size, colour, shape, or texture of moles or other skin lesions may indicate skin cancer. Get them checked by a dermatologist.
7. Unusual Bleeding
Unexpected bleeding from any part of the body, excessive bleeding during menstruation, blood in the urine or stool, or bleeding after menopause should never be written off.
8. Persistent Fatigue
If you find it difficult to accomplish tasks that used to feel easy and experience bone-deep fatigue that seems different from normal tiredness and doesn’t get better despite getting enough rest, it could be a sign of an underlying condition like anaemia, thyroid problems, diabetes, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, and others.
9. Severe Dizziness
If you have severe dizziness, or if you are dizzy and have other symptoms such as high fever, numbness or weakness, chest discomfort, vomiting, or a stiff neck, seek medical assistance right away. Dizziness has many possible causes, including vertigo, dehydration and more.
10. Consistent Coughing
If you have a persistent cough, it could be a sign of a more serious condition such as lung cancer, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (a lung disease that causes difficulty breathing), or even tuberculosis.
11. Sudden Changes in Vision
Any sudden loss of vision, double vision, blurred vision, or the appearance of flashes of light should be evaluated promptly by an eye specialist, as it could indicate serious eye conditions or neurological issues.
Closing Thoughts
Any changes in the body, no matter how subtle they may seem, should not be ignored. Your body is telling you something is wrong and you should schedule a checkup.
Remember, some things just can’t be postponed to tomorrow or next week. See your doctor today!
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