5 health symptoms you should NEVER ignore
We all get headaches, stomach aches and pains around our body from time to time, but how do you know if it’s nothing or something serious? Writing for Body+Soul, Dr Evelyn Lewin has outlined the five red health flags you should NEVER ignore.
1. Sudden stomach ache
A tummy ache is pretty common, but sudden, intense abdominal pain is not. “There are lots of things that can cause abdominal pain, from appendicitis to constipation, ruptured ovarian cysts to a ruptured aorta (the main artery in the body),” she writes. Seek treatment immediately – after all, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
2. Shortness of breath
Huffing and puffing after exercise is perfectly normal, but if there’s no reason for your sudden shortness of breath, it may be something more serious – like a pulmonary embolism (PE). “It’s more common to develop a PE if you are on the pill, have been sitting still for a long period of time (such as going on a long car drive), if you smoke or if you’ve been flying.” Pneumonia, asthma or panic attacks may also be to blame.
3. Sudden severe headache
Headaches and even migraines are something many of us regularly deal with, but a sudden, blindingly painful ache in your head should never be ignored. “If you develop a sudden headache that hurts like hell (as in, it’s the worst headache you’ve ever had), you could have bleeding around the brain that requires urgent medical attention.”
4. Unquenchable thirst
You may have drunk litres of water one day and still find yourself desperate for more. This is called polydipsia, and it may be a symptom of diabetes. “When your blood sugar levels are too high, your body pressures your kidneys into producing more urine to get rid of the excess glucose, leading to excessive thirst and frequent peeing. Consider a blood glucose test to find out if you’re at risk.”
5. Tightness in the chest or pain in the neck, jaw, arms or back
These are classic symptoms of a heart attack, and your risk only increases with age. “If you develop severe chest pain that comes on suddenly or over a few minutes, you shouldn’t rule out a heart attack without seeing a doctor first,” Dr Lewin says. “The pain might not actually feel like ‘pain’, but can feel more like a heaviness or pressure on your chest.”