When You Should Go See A Doctor
“Should I visit my doctor or, will it be okay if I wait for a few more weeks?”
Almost every one of us has asked this question whenever we’ve felt that there’s something wrong with health. And, if we’re being honest, we do not usually check up on our physician until there’s something horribly wrong with us.
This is where the problem lies.
According to some latest reports, the seemingly least-important symptoms tend to offer signs of something much more concerning. For example, mild yet persistent coughing is the first indicator of lung cancer.
Hence, no matter how minor your issue seems to be, you should never ignore anything, especially when it’s health-related!
Health Signs To Keep In Check
In this section, we have enlisted some of the issues that we experience from time to time.
While going through the same, you may find a few ailments that you can manage all by yourself. However, in some cases, the symptoms become persistent and prevent you from doing regular duties. Therefore, we’ll ask you to keep an eye out for those issues.
Swallowing Problem
Dysphagia or difficulty swallowing usually is pretty common amongst people suffering GERD or acid reflux. However, it usually lasts for a day or two. You can also take care of it by taking a product like Gloup swallowing gel.
However, if the issue has become a continual affair, it might indicate the presence of a lump or tumor in the esophageal area. In that case, you may encounter the following symptoms –
- Moderate to severe vomiting
- Pain in the chest area
- Breathing problem
- Frequent heartburn and other related issues
- Persistent nausea
Each of the symptoms described above can indicate GERD or the presence of an esophageal tumor. Hence, we’d suggest you talk to your doctor and ask them about it as soon as possible.
Diarrhea
Occasional diarrhea isn’t rare, especially if you are a foodie. It also tends to be pretty harmless and goes away on its own if you keep yourself hydrated or take an antibiotic.
Nonetheless, if you experience the following signs alongside diarrhea, it could indicate something more serious –
- Dehydration (having a dry mouth, decreased urination, fatigue, a sense of irritability or confusion without any reason)
- Tarry or black stools
- Availability of blood in your stools
- Severe pain in the abdomen
- Bloody urine
- Extreme fatigue even when you aren’t working
Headache
Headaches are pretty common, especially if you are working in front of a computer all day long. They’ll usually go away after you take a little rest or opt for an OTC medicine. However, severe headaches can also be a sign of meningitis or hemorrhage in some cases.
Thus, if you are encountering the following symptoms, make sure to visit your doctor as soon as possible –
- High fever (usually over 104°C)
- Lightheadedness
- Confusion or shortness of breath
- Changes in vision
- Trouble walking
- Numbness of either side of your head
- Headaches that are not going away even with adequate rest
Common Cold
A common cold is precisely how its name suggests – common and generally does not show any cause of concern. However, if this issue persists for more than a week and accompanies the following symptoms, visit your doctor as soon as possible –
- Shortness of breath or wheezing
- Coughing up blood
- Excessive mucus
- Moderate to severe chest pain
Cognitive Issues
Occasionally forgetting where you’ve kept your keys isn’t really anything to worry about. However, you should be concerned about your cognitive issues affecting your everyday life. If something troubling is happening, you may encounter the below-mentioned signs too –
- Showing a poor sense of judgment
- Forgetting everything too frequently
- Having difficulties in concentrating
- Experiencing trouble in understanding directions
- Changes in personality or behavior
Back Pain
Like headaches, back pain is quite prevalent amongst the job-goers. However, the problem tends to go away within a week or two with rest or after taking OTC medicines.
But, sometimes, it can also be caused by an underlying disease. So, make sure to call your doctor if you are experiencing –
- Constant pain that spreads through one or both legs
- Tingling sensation in the back
- Pain with redness or swelling
- Excessive fever
Menstrual Issues
The monthly menstrual cycle of women can significantly impact their lives. For example, missing a period can indicate pregnancy or the presence of polycystic ovarian syndrome. So, if you are seeing the following symptoms, you should visit your doctor as soon as possible.
- Disabling or severe cramps during an ongoing menstrual cycle
- Irregular or absence of more than one period (for three months or more)
- Bleeding between menstrual cycles (can be caused by a cyst, ovarian cancer, or PCOS)
- Heavy bleeding during periods
Mental Health Issues
Like the physical aspects, you need to consider taking care of your mental issues as well. Well, to tell you the truth, you can take care of a number of issues all by yourself. However, if you are experiencing the following symptoms, you will need to visit a physician quickly.
- Withdrawing from any kind of social interactions
- Experiencing hallucinations or delusions
- Changes in the sleeping or eating habits
- Inability to take care of the daily issues
- Having excessive worry, fear, or anxiety about something
- Feeling extreme lows or highs without any reason
- A sensation of sadness or depression that doesn’t go away
- Having thoughts of hurting yourself or the people surrounding you
Each of these symptoms primarily occurs amongst teenagers and younger adults.
Hence, if you are a parent, we would ask you to monitor your kids and look for these issues as closely as possible. If you feel even one of the signs mentioned above, visiting a doctor should be your first priority.
Final Thoughts
Going for regular doctor checkups, especially for an elderly individual, is essential. This way, it becomes easier for the physicians to keep track of your health and take preventive measures even before something happens. Hopefully, it will also help you avoid critical health issues efficiently.