Your body is an incredible, powerful machine. It has helped you navigate through some of the more challenging situations in your life and yet asked for very little in return. Despite being so remarkable and resilient, though, your body isn’t infallible. And sometimes, it may start sending you some subtle (and not-so-subtle) clues that it needs help.
While it’s normal to want to ignore many of the minor aches and pains that flash through your body occasionally, it would be prudent to remain on high alert for other signs it may be giving you that something’s wrong. If you ever experience any of these five issues with your body, it’s best to be on high alert, as your health may be in serious danger.
Pain in Your Chest or Upper Body
Unlike how it’s portrayed in popular media, a heart attack doesn’t always appear as someone clutching their chest and collapsing to the floor. Instead, the signs of myocardial infarction (or “cardiac arrest”) can be much more subtle. It’s also important to note that women have dramatically different symptoms from men, as well.
If you ever experience sudden pain or tightness in your chest, back, neck, and arms, it could indicate a medical emergency. It may be accompanied by fatigue, anxiety, abnormal heart rate, and dizziness. For women, you may notice shortness of breath, pain in your back and jaw, and nausea. Breaking out in a cold sweat is also fairly common, too.
An Unbearable Headache
We all get headaches from time to time, but an excruciating headache (one that you may even call “the worst headache of your life”) can suggest a severe medical emergency. This pain is usually associated with a “thunderclap headache” (TCH) and, if not addressed immediately, could be lethal.
There are a number of diagnoses that can be associated with a TCH. While some may be more benign, they should all be taken seriously. For instance, a TCH may indicate a brain aneurysm. It may also be accompanied by other symptoms, too, such as a drooping eyelid, neck stiffness, weakness in your limbs, and even seizures.
Pain and Swelling in Your Legs
If you’re on your feet all day, then you may be no stranger to achy, tired legs. However, if the soreness doesn’t subside — or if it comes on suddenly, without warning — then you may need to act quickly. This could suggest that something is quite wrong, and ignoring this red flag could be a deadly mistake.
If the pain comes on suddenly, you have trouble breathing, your leg starts to throb and swell, and it feels warm and looks red, then that could mean that you’re at risk of a blood clot (DVT). Even if it has a more gradual onset, it still warrants your immediate attention, as it could mean that you have kidney problems or heart failure.
Fatigue, Weightloss, and Itching
Many people wouldn’t necessarily think that weight loss is a bad thing, but if it’s unexpected and accompanied by itching and unexplained fatigue, it may mean that your health is in immediate danger. While Hodgkin’s lymphoma is one of the more rare types of cancer, it doesn’t mean that it’s any less dangerous.
Symptoms of Hodgkin’s lymphoma may include painless swelling in your lymph nodes, such as in your armpits, groin, and neck. You may also have night sweats, fever, and shortness of breath. Fortunately, this type of cancer has a 5-year survival rate of 91% if caught early, and there are many lymphoma natural treatment options available to you if you find yourself facing a diagnosis.
Weakness in One Side of Your Body
Strokes are very common, with one occurring nearly every 40 seconds. Despite this, they are still largely misunderstood — and also very lethal. As one of the leading causes of death in the United States, your prognosis after one can dramatically improve if you act “F.A.S.T.”
This acronym can help you recognize the signs of a stroke so you can get the much-needed care you require to survive it. “F” indicates facial drooping. “A” points to arm weakness, and “S” pertains to speech difficulty, like slurred words when talking. Finally, “T” is how you should react: time to go to the ER or call 911. The “faster” you act, the better your outcome can be.
Nobody likes having their mortality spelled out to them, and many of us like to believe that we are bulletproof. However, we’re all human, and we’re all potentially vulnerable to these serious health conditions. By tuning in to the urgent red flags your body may be giving you, you can help increase your likelihood of survival and help ensure you live a longer, healthier life overall.
