8 Scary Symptoms That Are Usually Harmless
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What’s the difference between the millennial generation and the generation of our forefathers? During our father’s or grandfather’s time, not only did they gorge on nutrient-rich food but they also lead a real tough life that involved physical exhaustion. Any small injury, or any problem related to their body, they used to just let it be thinking that it’s nothing serious and that it will heal on its own.
What about us, the millennials? A small cut, the sprouting of an unusual boil on our body is enough to take us on a scary ride. From unexpected strange lumps to sudden weight gain or weight loss — it’s enough to drive us crazy!
For example, twitching, which is related to a more common problem associated with anxiety, we go on an over-thinking drive and start wondering if it is a symptom of a motor neuron disease called Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). See, at times, there can be symptoms that appear scary to you, but in reality, they are all harmless. In this read, we’ve tried to remove the paranoia for you by telling you the real reasons behind these symptoms. Read on.
1. Chest Pain
What people think: Heart attack
What it could probably mean: Yes, most of us associate chest pain with a heart attack, especially those of us who are experiencing it for the first time. But, it’s a heart attack only when there is severe chest pain which isn’t bearable. Stress, anxiety, heartburn, and straining our chest muscles in the wrong way while exercising can also lead to chest pain (1). However, if the pain is persistent and doesn’t stop, then you have to contact your doctor and find out the reason behind the chest pain.
2. Skin Tags And Lumps
What people think: Cancer or Sarcoma
What it could probably mean: See, skin tags are just like any other skin growth which isn’t caused by cancer. These skin tags can be found on various parts of our body — neck, eyes, armpits, etc. and they usually appear on dry skin. Yes, they do look ugly and very out of place, but they are at the end of the day harmless.
And unexplained lumps aren’t caused because of tumors. They can just be a sebaceous cyst or any other non-cancerous growth. If you find too many lumps or skin tags on your body and it has started bothering you, all we’d suggest is to visit your dermatologist and not over think the scary possibilities.
3. Eye Floaters
What people think: Loss of vision
What it could probably mean: People with both, good and bad eyesight must have experienced eye floaters in their lives at least once or maybe more. Yes, it sure is scary, makes you feel like your vision took a hit, but you really don’t have to worry about it. These floaters that you experience are nothing but debris that has settled down in the interior parts of your eye (2). They might appear white in color. They are a common thing as we age.
4. Muscle Twitching
What people think: ALS
What it could probably mean: All of us know what muscle twitching means (3). It sure does feel very weird and scary but it definitely doesn’t mean ALS. There can be many reasons behind those twitching experiences — anxiousness, dehydration, overexertion of muscles, etc.
5. Cramping
What people think: Multiple sclerosis
What it could probably mean: Despite all the popular beliefs out there, cramping can never be caused by multiple sclerosis alone. The most common reason behind cramping is dehydration (4). When you haven’t provided enough water to your muscles, they tighten up sporadically. It’s their way of screaming, “Give me some water!” However, if you suffer from chronic cramping then you should definitely visit a doctor and get it investigated.
6. Forgetfulness
What people think: Alzheimer’s disease
What it could probably mean: It’s completely normal for us to forget things as we grow old. Alzheimer’s disease, on the other hand, is far more than forgetting things, its complete deterioration of the brain that takes place (5). Memory glitches are common as we grow old. If you still feel that it’s a serious issue, consult your doctor. And give yourself good rest.
7. Shakiness
What people think: Parkinson’s disease
What it could probably mean: Feeling shaky, jittery, or nervous doesn’t always have to point towards Parkinson’s disease. If people haven’t eaten for a long time, or if any nutritional deficiency exists, they experience shakiness. If you are concerned about it, bring it to the notice of your doctor, just know one thing that the shakiness is not always a serious deal.
8. Broken Blood Vessels
What people think: Loss of vision
What it could probably mean: Broken blood vessels in the eyes doesn’t signal that you’re soon going to become blind. This can be caused due to various reasons — rubbing your eye rigorously, sneezing hard, lack of rest for your eyes, and entry of a foreign particle (6). The best way to check on this is to wash your eyes with cold water, close your eyes and relax, if irritation or redness persists, then do visit a doctor.
Now that we’ve made you understand that all these symptoms which are scary aren’t afflicted with any serious illness, we’d want you to consider thinking about how to keep yourself healthy. Tiny changes, by that we mean healthy changes when brought into our lives can make a huge positive difference in our health. Don’t you agree? Let us know in the comments below.
