Doctor warns of 7 'normal' symptoms you should never ignore
Given the lengthy waits for doctor appointments nowadays - as well as treatment delays - it's hardly a surprise that so many people put off having seemingly 'minor' changes to their health professionally seen to.
Apparently, however, the dismissal of these 'normal' changes to a person's body could be a life-threatening decision.
Speaking to Huff Post recently, Hannah London, GP, and Dr Kaywaan Khan opened up on 7 symptoms specifically which might present themselves as 'low-key', but actually indicate much more severe ailments.
And as such, these indicators should never be ignored.
1) Unexplained weight loss
According to Dr Khan, noticing that you've shed pounds without having purposefully set out on a diet or implemented a new exercise routine might not just be a lucky coincidence.
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In fact, he says there could be a number of health issues flying under the radar, including the likes of thyroid imbalances, early diabetes, digestive problems, and in more severe cases, even stomach or pancreatic cancer.
The medic disclosed: "Unexplained weight loss is typically defined as losing more than 5% of your body weight over a span of 6-12 months, without any changes in diet or physical activity levels."
2) Ceaseless fatigue
Have you ever found yourself saying, 'I'm so tired', even after a pretty relaxing day?
Do everyday tasks - like unloading the dishwasher, or walking the dog - leave you feeling like you've run a marathon?
Well, this feeling actually has a name - 'fatigue', which Dr Khan says, if persistent, could be linked to several different conditions.
"Anaemia, chronic infections like mononucleosis, or even early-stage heart disease," he suggests, also listing: "Sleep disorders like insomnia or mental health conditions can also leave you feeling drained and unmotivated on a daily basis, even without physical exertion."
If this describes you, it's best to see your GP, he says.
3) Bowel changes
Often, people put changes in their 'No. 2s' down to things like having 'eaten something funny', had too many coffees, or a side-effect of medication. According to Dr Khan, however, long-term changes to poop movements could be a cause for concern.
"Constipation and diarrhoea are typically just side effects of dietary changes, severe stress, or certain medications," he explained.
"Aut this could also be from underlying conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or coeliac disease (severe gluten intolerance)."
4) Headaches
The vast majority of headaches are fleeting - caused by hangovers, harsh lighting, stress, tiredness, dehydration, etc.
If these pains begin affecting your daily functioning, however, Dr Khan says it's worth bringing up with your local doctor to get to the bottom of any other possible causes.
This is especially important if these headaches are 'accompanied by other symptoms like vomiting, debilitating pain, vision changes or thunderclap onset', he continued.
Such is also the case with numbness, weakness, or fainting alongside headaches.
Dr Khan added: "In these cases, I would advise asking your GP for a referral to a CT or MRI scan to see if there could be any brain-related causes like tumours or aneurysms that might not be visible through blood work alone."
5) Shortness of breath
Heavy breathing after going for a run, or from carrying colossal loads of shopping from the car, is completely normal and usually nothing to be worried about.
If you're finding yourself panting during/after basic daily tasks, however, like climbing the stairs or hanging up the washing, there could be something slightly more sinister going on behind the scenes.
As Dr Khan points out, this could actually be down to 'respiratory diseases like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which you can get from smoking or long-term exposure to pollution and allergens'.
He adds, however, that shortness of breath could also be caused by issues surrounding the vital organs, like heart disease or blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism).
Both of these conditions can 'reduce oxygen supply and strain the heart, lungs, and blood flow all at once', the medic continues.
6) Lumps
Whilst some injuries can result in swellings - like a bump to the head, or a sprained ankle - if unexplained lumps begin arising in peculiar areas, this could be a sign of a much more serious condition.
"Yes, many lumps are typically benign, such as those that appear consistently in the breast area during menstruation or ovulation due to sudden hormonal changes," Dr Khan explained.
"While these lumps are easily treatable, others could point to more serious conditions like breast cancer or lymphoma."
7) Changes to the skin
Though short-term alterations to either the colour or texture of the skin could be caused by things like sunlight, hay fever or allergies, in some cases, the causes could be very dangerous.
Serious health issues could also trigger changes to, or the sudden increase in the amount of moles on a person's body, including belie skin cancer. "Skin discolouration can also be a major clue," Dr Khan added, however.
He also referenced the 'yellowing of the skin' - also known as jaundice - which he says warrants same-day assessment and indicates liver or pancreatic issues.
Rhianna Benson