Sharanya sought doctor’s help when she felt that her head ache is uneasy. She has been suffering from such discomforts for quite a long time. Now it’s almost 10 years! Experimented with Ayurveda, Allopathic and even black magic! At last she reached before an experienced doctor for further diagnosis. Doctor learnt the history from the patient thoroughly. “If head ache occurs, it kills me! It appears as if someone is breaking my scalp and pain always starts from one side, slowly travels to the other side and ends with an vomiting”, she explained.
Doctor began to ask incidents from her childhood and early days. When she falls of the track quoting less significant things of childhood, doctor brings her back to path. In between, doctor kept asking a few questions as well. Occurrences of darkness of eyes just before the head ache and flashing of colourful rays were known for the first time through doctor’s questionnaire. When she added the facts – the head ache normally occurs soon after travel, loss of sleep or direct exposure to sun, doctor could easily find the disease. Migraine! It was confirmed after close examination and CT scan.
When patient describes various symptoms and occurrences related to the disease, doctor studies those facts to reach a conclusion. A single symptom may be the first cause of many diseases. A head ache, fever or dizziness may be associated with diseases entirely different from one another. But if patient adds his assumptions and describe too many unnecessary things, it may be a little difficult to detect the disease. World famous scientist, Dr. William has once said, “With patience, hear patient’s words and disease history. It’s the patient who tells you, what disease he is carrying with”.
Patients who reach doctor’s cabin normally tells one among the 10 symptoms given below. Through this article, I would like to describe in brief what those common symptoms are and what the reasons behind it are.
1. Head ache
Very often patient’s head ache becomes doctor’s head ache too. Head ache may occur due to many reasons. Detecting the type of head ache and symptoms associated with it, doctor calculates the actual problems and hidden diseases.
Among all types of headaches, head ache due to stress and tension is most common. Mental stress and strains contribute a lot to such headaches. In this type, it seems as if a string is tied tight across the forehead and severe pain occurs in forehead. It starts slowly in the morning and gradually spreads to surrounding areas, reaches the extreme condition at noon or evening. But like migraines, they never feel noises or light effects.
Along with head ache, if you feel pain on either side of your nose, such symptoms point to sinusitis. Continuous cold is always associated with this disease. Yellow pus like discharge from nose and a strange feeling of something inside the head may be the symptoms of sinusitis.
If problems are related to eyes and eye sight, head ache is a common symptom. If so, head ache appears in forehead, around eyes and eye brows. When eyes become tired in the evening head ache becomes severe. It may be due to glaucoma too. In this case, if pressure increases suddenly, it may lead to severe pain around eyes, vomiting and cough.
Continuous head ache is the main symptom for brain tumour. It is severe during early mornings and head ache is associated with vomiting also. Problems related to eye sight, convergence problem and darkness in eyes are most common symptoms of brain tumour than head ache.
Cluster headache – headache common in men than ladies. This headache has penetrating feeling and it’s common during night. It may stay for 15 minutes up to 2 hours. Tears, stress of eye lids and blocked nose are common symptoms of cluster head ache.
2. Stomach pain
It’s often a challenge to doctors to find reasons behind stomach pain. Because very often while operating, reasons quoted may find wrong. If stomach pain occurs continuously in the upper part of abdomen, symptoms point to peptic ulcer. Patient may feel burning effect in his abdomen too. Also, it may not happen as soon as you wake up in the morning. Instead it starts during noon and pain may disappear once you take meals. If stomach pain wakes you from sleep at night, it may be peptic ulcer.
If pain starts from the upper part of the abdomen and slowly moves towards lower part of right hand of stomach and concentrates there, it may be the cause of Aden dysentery. Stomach pain is always accompanied with fever and vomiting. Pain intensifies if patient tries to move his body parts or coughs. If those areas of abdomen are pressed, pain increases too.
Stomach pain may be due to the presence of kidney stones too. If so, stomach pain will occur in lower abdomen towards front end at intervals. Pain may spread to other areas too and person may feel discomfort and pain while urinating. Sometimes severe pain may occur similar to muscle cramp too.
If pain that generates from the upper part of the abdomen spreads to sides and back, it may be due to swelling of pancreas gland. When stood or bend forward, patient may get relief from pancreatitis but pain intensifies if patient tries to take deep breath, cough or move body parts. If pain occurs similar to muscle cramp just above the right side of abdomen at intervals, it may be due to the presence of stone in bladder. This pain may slowly spread to back side of chest and shoulders too.
3. Back pain
At least 80% people may go through back pain and similar discomforts at least once in life time. If back pain occurs suddenly it may be due to problems in disc. If he tries to bend suddenly or lift a heavy object from ground, back pain due to disc prolapsed may occur. When disc budges out and give extra pressure to nerves, it results in leg pain. The pain spreads from the rear side of legs to ankle and is known as ‘sciatica’. This pain intensifies if the person tries to lift heavy object, sneezes or coughs.
Another reason behind sudden back pain is due to stress of ligaments that binds back bone with muscles and tissues. Pain occurs if the person tries to bend suddenly or lift heavy objects. Back pain seen in old persons may not be sciatica. If back pain persists for a long period, it may be due to tear and wear of backbone tissues. This condition is known as ‘spondylosis’ and this condition is most common in persons who bends frequently and give extra strain to back bone.
Due to guts affecting back bone, back pain is common symptom. Back pain is common once you wake up from bed and you may feel pressure around your back bone. But when the person becomes engaged in normal activities as usual, back pain disappears slowly.
If back pain becomes severe during night time and if pain doesn’t leave you even after taking rest, you need to take extra care. Back pain in cancer patients should also be taken serious. If your spinal cord is damaged, back pain may be accompanied by tiredness of legs, frozen state and loss of control over urination.
4. Chest pain
For many persons chest pain is the symptom of heart attack. But truth is that, chest pain is often associated with problems in ribs, rib bones and respiratory diseases also. Very often, cold, mental problems, stress and acidity can also lead to chest pain.
Severe pain in the centre of your heart that spreads towards left hands and neck and if it’s accompanied by body shivering, symptoms point to heart problems. If you feel like broken heart, heavy heart or if something is tied tightly across your rib, it may be the expression of heart disease. This pain may slowly spread to lower jaw, back side of chest, upper abdomen and tooth.
If you feel chest pain while climbing steps or doing manual exercise it may be the heart disease known as Angina. In this case, 2 minutes to 10 minutes is the normal duration of pain and the patient feels relief if he takes rest. Due to pleurisy, a respiratory infection also, chest pain may occur. In this case, patient feels pain when he breathes air or coughs. Pain occurs similar to a cramp on one side of your chest. It’s related to cold and similar diseases.
If you have acidity in intestine, you may feel like vomiting and burning effect of chest. When food substances of your stomach mixed with enzymes cause upset to stomach, you may feel discomfort in both your stomach and chest. When you press affected areas and feel intense pain, it may be due to inflammation of area that connects ribs and chest muscles. Among all types of chest pains, this type is most harmless. If you are able to point and show a particular area of chest pain, no doubt, it’s the after effect of mental stress and tensions.
5. Fever
Fever is not a disease, but a common symptom of many other diseases. From infection and guts to cancers and allergies, fever may occur as an early symptom. By closely examining symptoms associated with fever, doctors detect disease. Sneezing, head ache and running nose, along with fever are the common symptoms of cold or flu. But if discharge from nose is dark yellow and phlegm along with cough is also yellow, it may be due to bacterial infection. If red patches appear on skin along with fever, it’s the external symptom of viral fever. Viral diseases including chikungunya forms reddish marks on skin as well as joint pain. Such reddish marks are also associated with jaundice and obella dengue fever also.
Muscle pain and joint pain along with fever may be the symptoms of plague or dengue fever. Persons infected with dengue fever have severe joint pain similar to break of bones. Apart from high fever and body pain, if the person has yellow or reddish eyes, symptoms point to plague. If fever stays long accompanied by loss of appetite, yellow urine and vomiting it may be jaundice. Urinary inflections and diseases are always followed by fever, shivering, frequent urination and pain while urinating.
If pain persists, it may be due to typhoid too. Problems like loss of appetite, stomach pain, tiredness and dysentery may also exist. If you have just returned after a tour and have conditions of fever and shivering, more chances are there for malaria.
6. Dizziness
It’s a myth among common man that dizziness is the symptom of high blood pressure. It’s not the case always. Ear balance problem, ear damages or problems in proper functioning of brain can also lead to dizziness. Person may feel that he will fall soon and the whole world appears revolving around him. Accompanied by dizziness, hearing problems and humming sound inside ears are the reasons of ear problems. Dizziness may last for a few days or weeks. The person may hate food and feels like vomiting too. Infections and injuries inside ears and meniere's are the common ear diseases.
Dizziness when head is tilted towards one side or sudden bend or raising actions is the common symptom of Position Vertigo. Tilting head to a particular position or while lying in a particular position, dizziness intensifies in these cases. Vomiting may be its after effect. It’s mainly due to brain injuries; but position vertigo can also happen without any reasons. If blood circulation to brain is blocked by some reason, dizziness may occur. Problems with vision, speech and swallowing food and tiredness of limbs are other symptoms of brain diseases.
If you stand up suddenly but feels dizziness, it may be due to partial block of blood circulation to brain cells. It’s most common in aged people. It’s also seen in diabetic patients and those who take medicines for blood pressure. In both cases, reduced blood pressure level, as soon as they stand up can result in dizziness. As soon as you wake up, sit in your bed for a while before you stand up – it’s the best solution for this group of patients.
7. Tiredness
Tiredness – a situation that makes a person defeat completely. Very often, other people may not be able to understand what’s going on in victim’s mind. From depression to blood deficiency, reasons of tiredness are many.
If you are anemic or have paleness, you many feel lack of interest in even your most favourite hobbies. In addition to tiredness, day sleep and slow in every action are other indicators. He may feel chest pain, grasping or dyspnea, while doing heavy work or climbing steps. Such patients may do irregular things like eating stones and non-cooked rice. White patches beneath eyes, skin, mouth and tongue are other symptoms of anemia.
In addition to tiredness, swelling all over the body, change of voice and swellings in throat may be due to less functioning rate of thyroid gland. Skin losses its glow and hair becomes dry. Even during hot summer, such persons feel cold. Constipation, less concentration, forgetting things, dyspnea and frozen feelings of limbs are other symptoms of thyroid problems.
Excess urination, excess thirst and excess hunger, accompanied by tiredness are the common symptoms of diabetics. If so, it may take more time to heal wounds and such persons will get skin rashes and fungus infections easily. If he feels tired, he may loss his weight soon. Very often, when patient approaches doctor to know reasons behind tiredness, diabetics may be the end result!
Less expression of emotions, waking up early in the mornings, sleeplessness after that, less interest to food, sleeplessness, less interest in sex and tiredness are the reasons behind depressions. Tiredness in alcohol addicts is mainly due to liver diseases. Hypoglycemia can also give them sleeplessness and tiredness.
8. Joint pain
Pain of knees and elbow make everyone think that it’s nothing else, but arthritis. But truth is that, in addition to such problems, joint pain is also common in people who do extra manual work and those suffering from viral diseases, diabetics and thyroid problems. If joints, irrespective of small and big ones show pains and swellings, this disease is known as rheumatoid arthritis. Such diseases may affect limbs of either side and it affects ladies most. When you wake up in the morning, you may feel less flexibility of joints as well.
Very often, tear and wear of joints can also result in pain. If joint pain occurs only for knees accompanied by swelling, it’s due to Osseo arthritis. If you place your hand just above the joint, you will get the rubbing effect of bones in this case. If you are an over weighted person, more chances are there for the attack of this disease.
Gout – another disease related to joints have the following symptoms. The joint of the thumb of your feet may be affected by severe pain all of a sudden, followed by reddening and swelling. It happens when the content of uric acid increases in blood and it occurs mostly during night and severe pain in thumb may wake up the person too. Drinking habits, infection during surgery or increased bleeding can also lead to gout.
If fever is accompanied by joint pain, it’s the first sign of arthritis due to infection. Best instance is chikungunya. As I have pointed early under fever section, reddish swellings and marks may appear on skin surface in this case. In a few other cases, stomach upset or urinary infection may allow cause joint pain and reddening of eyes.
If only one joint is affected by pain and swelling, it may be due to bacterial infection. Fever and shivering always follow the symptoms in this case. Body movements intensify the joint pain too.
9. Dyspnea or difficulty in breathing
If you get tired or feel difficulty in breathing while climbing steps or doing manual work, you can doubt about certain diseases. If you do physical strain after a long time, such discomforts are common. When you take rest for a while, some problems leave your body too. But if such occurrences are common and you are not getting relief even after taking a long rest, you need to consult your doctor.
Loss of heart’s health is the main reason of grasping and dyspnea. After heart attack, your heart may lower its pumping capacity and problems of heart valves can also lead to such conditions. If you feel dyspnea while doing manual work and gets relief once rested for a while, it’s the common symptom of heart related problem. If you lay straight in bed, you may feel discomfort and difficulties in breathing and such conditions reduces once you sit up. Similarly if you wake up at late midnight due to breathing problems, it indicates pumping incapability of heart.
Diseases related to lungs and respiratory track may also show such symptoms. In addition to dyspnea, if you feel cough, whooping sound inside chest and yellow discharge with cough, it may be due to asthma or similar respiratory diseases. Conditions become severe during nights and cold conditions. Patients may feel allergic to wind and dust particles and exposure to such conditions may result in sneezing and dyspnea.
If patient feels tired and increased heart beat along with dyspnea, it can be suspected to be paleness or deficiency. For anemia infected persons, darkness of eyes and dizziness may also accompany dyspnea. It’s also common in ladies who frequently have bleeding during menstrual periods and piles patients, who loss blood frequently. Such health related problems that result in loss of blood can also lead to dyspnea.
Another health related cause for grasping and difficulty in breathing is obesity. People who are excess in weight may feel stressed while lifting heavy objects or doing manual work they are not familiar with. When they climb steps, they may grasp without taking breath. Best solution is to give frequent exercise to body and reduce body weight.
10. Constipation
If a person is not able to pass stool in the early morning without easiness, it gives discomforts a full day and the person may not be able to concentrate in daily activities and office work too. Unhealthy food and less drinking of water are the main reasons of constipation. Fiber-less food like eggs, meat, fish, fast food and snacks give you constipation without any reason. Beverages like cola, tea, coffee, alcohol and carbonated drinks are other reasons. Present generation is not at all interested in vegetables and fruits too! We need to drink at least 8 glasses water every day to get of constipation.
In addition to bad food habits and less intake of water and fiber content food, certain drugs can also give patients constipation. Pain killers, medicines of depressions and Parkinson’s disease and antacids can also result in constipation. Bad food habits and life style have given rise to constipation. When less importance is given to manual efforts and exercises, it adds made reasons for this condition. Mental disorders and controlling defecation can also result in constipation. Constipation is common in late stages of life when digestive process slows considerably and abdomen muscles become loosened to push stools out of the body. It’s due to loss of strength of muscles in the pelvic region.
If constipation occurs continuously and it’s accompanied with stomach pain, bleeding, frequent dysentery, loss of weight, fever and loss of appetite, it needs to be taken serious. In this case further diagnosis may be needed. These signs may be the symptoms of cancer in the intestine, infections or diseases affecting intestine. In diabetic patients, constipation is common. In addition to constipation if the person feels body swelling, loss of hair and voice block, these indicators may be due to Hypo-thyroid.
Conclusion
It’s often a habit of all of us to neglect silly discomforts and wait till a disease swallows us completely. Instead if you find a little time to observe the symptoms carefully, it’s possible for you to detect a disease as early as possible. If so, you can avoid many problems and medicines in the future for sure. After all ‘Health is the real wealth!’ Give a little preference to your body too, instead of nourishing its external beauty only.
Disclaimer:
Through this article I have briefly explained the indicators that pave way to many common diseases. But the article never states anywhere that those 10 symptoms clearly indicate the presence of some dreadful disease. Fever, joint pain, head ache and dizziness are common in every person and you need not worry if such conditions are not associated with other discomforts and if they never frequently affect you. It’s always advisable to consult a physician for a checkup that drawing your own conclusions quoting one or two reasons given above. Thank you.
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