Health Issues – The symptom follows the disease as the shadow follows the body. That signal that the heart, lung or stomach sends us indicates that something is not working well. A simple headache or swollen feet are perceived as temporary discomfort in most cases, although sometimes they can also be signs of serious illness.
It is not about becoming hypochondriacs and collapsing emergencies at the first opportunity, but neither is it about remaining impassive and confident in the face of the agency’s warnings.
“One of the problems that our health system has, so good and so envied in other countries, is the oversaturation that originates in hospital emergencies as a result of the number of patients who come with minor ailments that can be treated ideally by the doctor. Family “, says José Luis Llisterri, president of the Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians (EMERGENCY).
However, the opposite is also the case: patients who do not turn to any professional, even though the symptoms are more prominent and require a specialized opinion.
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Study for Health Issues you Shouldn’t Overlook
A study by the Cancer Research Institute of the United Kingdom published in 2014 in the journal PLOS ONE indicated that more than half of the British – 53% of the 2,000 interviewed – had suffered from some of the symptoms that could indicate the presence of cancer. Still, only 2% thought they might have this disease, and more than a third ignored the alarms and did not seek an expert opinion.
Given the results, Dr Katriina Whitaker, lead author of the research, said: “We have to send the message that symptoms that do not go away, particularly those that are considered warning signs, should not be ignored, and you should go to the doctor. To seek help.”
Below we indicate some of those signs to which we should be more attentive because the timely diagnosis of a disease can be synonymous with a cure.
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Back pain
The Spanish Society of Rheumatology (SER) has quantified it: 80% of the population will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives.
It is often due to exertion or poor posture but may indicate a herniated disc. The pain produces in the neck radiates to the shoulder and arm. The sensation of tingling and numbness in the latter and hand is typical. In sciatica or radiculopathy, the discomfort is located in the lower back and extends along the pinched nerve to the buttocks and leg.
Chronic itching
When pruritus becomes chronic, we are before the warning of a disease; dermatitis, allergies, hives and skin infections often cause itching.
Some metabolic disorders manifest in diabetes and thyroid problems; liver ailments, such as cirrhosis; anaemia and other blood diseases; certain types of cancer –lymphoma, leukaemia, plasmacytoma–; and obsessive-compulsive disorder and parasitic infestations by intestinal worms or lice.
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Itching
The itching is a defence mechanism that causes the patient to scratch or rubs to relieve it, thus eliminating harmful parasites or other foreign bodies in the skin.
In most cases, it is nothing more than a simple, more or less intense discomfort, but temporary and without relevance to health.
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Erectile Dysfunction
At least half of the men over the age of forty have had an erection problem at some point. It is only serious if it becomes permanent. It can be caused by psychological factors –fear of sexual failure–tobacco and alcohol consumption, or 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.
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Whitish Nails
A sulfur-rich protein, keratin, forms the nails that protect the tissues at the fingers’ ends. If they look pink and translucent, we can rest easy. Alterations in its colour indicate a dermatological problem, systemic diseases -which affect various body organs-, fungal infections, poisoning or sequelae due to the consumption of certain drugs.
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Premature Grey Hair
Hair whitening is the result of natural discolouration linked to ageing. This phenomenon affects men and women and usually appears between the ages of 35 and 40. Although young people whose hair begins to turn grey before time should be alert because it can be a symptom of anaemia 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.
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Persistent Cough
The body uses a very effective involuntary reflex, coughing, to keep the airways clear. But the constant shaking it causes sometimes causes headaches, nausea, or urinary incontinence. Pulmonologists consider a cough persistent when it lasts more than three weeks.
When the cough does not subside
Suppose you do not have distastes or asthma and you are not a smoker. In that case, the reason for this symptom must be studied since, in most patients, it hides some respiratory abnormality: allergies, acute or chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchial asthma, whooping cough, diphtheria, tuberculosis, laryngitis or pneumonia, among other ailments.
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Headache
Poorly graduated glasses, great physical effort or excessive tension of the muscles of the face cause a headache in the long run. This symptom also indicates tiring eyesight, one of the signs of Health Issues as common as the flu, colds and allergies. In addition, it arises from lack of sleep and if a lot of alcohol or other toxic substances have been consumed.
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Tiredness
All of us, at some point, have felt weak or exhausted due to lack of sleep, a hard day at work, an exhausting trip, an overwhelming situation or excessive exercise. But behind prolonged tiredness, there are sometimes severe disorders, such as anaemia, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, cancer or chronic fatigue syndrome.
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Jaw pain
The involuntary habit of scrunching or grinding the teeth, known as bruxism, frequently causes jaw pain. Some people do it when they feel stressed, and many others unknowingly do it while they sleep.
This symptom can also result from osteomyelitis, an infection that travels through the bloodstream and affects the surrounding bones and tissues, in this case, the jaw. More exceptionally, Health Issues appears among the symptoms of angina pectoris. However, the most characteristic signs of this cardiac alarm are oppressive pain in the chest and intense discomfort in the shoulders, arms, neck and back.
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Difficulty Swallowing
Cancers of the oesophagus, stomach or pharynx manifest with something as simple as not being able to swallow food normally. Another sign of this type of disease is a pain in the back of the mouth. All of these Health Issues of tumours occur more often in smokers and heavy drinkers.
