Don't ignore warning pains
Monday March 24 2008
Pain is your body's way of sending you a signal that something is wrong.
Most cure themselves, but which pains should we not ignore?
- Worst headache of your life? It could be a sinus cold. But if it hits without warning and you cannot fathom the source, it could be a brain haemorrhage or tumour. Go to A&E immediately.
- Pain or discomfort in the chest, throat, jaw, shoulder, arm or abdomen: It could be pneumonia or a heart attack.
But remember, heart conditions typically appear as discomfort, not pain. Discomfort linked to heart disease could also be in these areas and might be accompanied by nausea.
In women, the signs may be discomfort from bloating in the abdomen.
- Pain in lower back or between shoulder blades: Arthritis is a common culprit. Other possibilities include a heart attack.
- Calf pain: It might be deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot that can occur in the leg's deep veins.
This can be life-threatening. Cancer, obesity, immobility due to prolonged bed rest or long-distance travel, pregnancy, and advanced age are among the risk factors.
- Burning feet or legs: This may be one of the signs of undiagnosed diabetes.
- Severe back pain: This usually goes away on its own, with or without a doctor's help.
But if the pain is sudden, agonising, and unrelated to exercise or improper lifting, or if you feel excruciating, highly focused pain on your spine, it may signal a kidney stone or an abdominal aneurysm -- a bulge in the main artery leading from the heart.
- Eilish O'Regan
