6 Symptoms You Shouldn’t Be Ignoring
Image: Shutterstock
We all have had those days where we have opened our eyes in the morning only to find that we just can’t get up from the bed. We feel fatigued or we have body ache, but because life must go on and you can’t really call in sick every day for silly things like body ache, you push yourself to get through it. Then there is that mysterious headache, which surfaces for no particular reason making it impossible for you to get on with your day, and then as mysteriously it came, it vanishes, leaving you befuddled.
In the rush of our everyday lives, all of us are guilty of putting our health on the backfoot. For there are a zillion other things that demand our urgent attention. But have you ever given a thought to what would happen if your body just shuts down? What would you do then? As scary as it is, this scenario is a likely scenario. In order to avoid this, you should learn to listen to the signals that your body is giving out. Yes, it might be time for you to pay attention to those mysterious aches and pains. Among a huge number of symptoms, there are a few symptoms which stand out and these are the ones you shouldn’t ignore –
1. Unexplained Headaches
Headaches are a large umbrella term which covers a wide range of physical phenomena. There are tension headaches, headaches caused by an increase in blood pressure, etc. There is something called a thunderclap headache which can be a symptom of much larger and serious ailments such as cerebral hemorrhage, aneurysm, etc. (1). If you experience a throbbing head quite frequently, then it might also be inflammation.
2. Bad Breath And Gingivitis
Gingivitis which is inflammation of gums is a common oral ailment that is usually not detrimental to your health, but if unchecked it can even lead to loss of teeth (2). Whereas persistent bad breath can mean more than just bad oral hygiene. It can point towards many serious conditions such as xerostomia (dry mouth), chronic acid reflux, and in extreme cases, even kidney and liver conditions (3).
3. Gut Health Issues
If you often suffer from an upset stomach or are more susceptible to stomach bugs, it might be time for you to take a hard look at what you are putting in your body. It’s true that changes in lifestyle have introduced a lot of chemical compounds into our diet in the form of preservatives and additives, which affect the health of our gut negatively. But it can also be a sign of a serious disorder — leaky gut.
A leaky gut is a disorder in which the inner lining of the intestines develops holes and gaps which allow undigested particles, toxins to pass through to the tissues underneath it. This can lead to inflammation and also alter the ecosystem of the gut flora, which can lead to further complication (4).
4. Mood Swings, Anxiety
Though mood swings can be triggered by hormonal changes in women. But if the intensity of such feelings is high, it can point towards the presence of disorders such as Premenstrual Dysmorphic Disorder (PMDD) (5).
It’s completely okay if you feel blue once in a while, but if this a common occurrence then you might want to get yourself checked out, for certain types of inflammatory proteins (cytokines) can also prompt such type of behavior (6).
5. Fatigue
Feeling drained after a hectic day or a grueling workout is something that all of us experience. However, this fatigue can be treated with a good diet and rest. But there is a disorder called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) in which the patient experiences extreme fatigue which can’t be explained by any underlying cause (7). The occurrence of unexplained fatigue could be explained by disorders such as Fibromyalgia, Depression, Anemia, etc (8).
6. Stiffening Of Joints
If you ever had to think twice before climbing a flight of stairs on account of a bad knee or ankle, you might do well to not dismiss it as a one-off instance. Unless you have experienced an injury that can explain it, it might be a sign of a serious disorder such as Rheumatoid Arthritis which is an inflammation disorder. Other disorders which can manifest themselves in the form of stiffening of joints include Osteomyelitis, Rheumatic Fever, Lupus, etc (9).
Now that we have explained the possible grave consequences of these symptoms, we hope you would take them seriously and not dismiss them as just another everyday occurrence. We can avoid a lot of serious health complications if we pay attention to what our body is communicating to us. In the end, our health is in our hands.
Were you aware that these symptoms could be a sign of such serious ailments? Do you know of any other common symptom that can point to possible health complications? Share them with us in the comments section.
