Last Updated on December 30, 2020 by HodgePodgeDays
We all experience small changes in our bodies with the passing of every week, from feeling a little bit more tired than usual to twinges in our backs or excessive levels of bloating. We are all different, and our bodies are constantly changing – this is natural. However, there are some changes to the body that we should never ignore if we want to be as healthy as we can be and if we want to catch more serious illnesses quick.
With that in mind, check out these health symptoms that no woman should ever ignore:
Breast Changes
Our breasts do change over time, often getting bigger, smaller or saggier depending on our age, weight and general health, and this is all perfectly normal but what isn’t perfectly normal are changes that come fast and come out of nowhere. Thinks like lumps in the breast, changes to nipple shape, inverted nipples and rashes that last for days. If you experience any of the latter breast changes, then you need to have them checked out by a doctor because they could be a sign of cancer and the sooner you have them checked out, the better.
Vaginal Bleeding
Bleeding unexpectedly or bleeding more heavily than you are used to can both be signs of serious illnesses such as cancer and endometriosis, especially if you experience bleeding after sex. If it’s a one-off, then it probably isn’t something to worry about, but if it happens more often, time to book an appointment.
Painful Peeing
If it hurts when you pee or you experience itching down below, it could be a sign that you are suffering from a urinary infection, or more seriously an STI. Both will need treating, so suck up your embarrassment and see a doctor. These days you doctors have seen it all, and they’re very discrete; you can even pick up gonorrhea and chlamydia treatment online, so no one need find out! Just don’t leave the problem untreated or it could lead to more serious issues such as infertility.
Sudden Severe Headaches
Most of us will get headaches from time to time, and most of the time a couple of paracetamols are enough to deal with them, but if you get a sudden headache that’s more painful than any headache you’ve ever had before; if it’s so painful that you can hardly bear it, over the counter medications aren’t going to cut it. This kind of intense head pain can be a sign that you’ve had an aneurysm that you have a brain tumor and you should call the emergency services to assist you immediately!
Fast Weight Gain
It’s not unusual for someone to gain weight – over 60 percent of the population are currently overweight – but if you put on a lot of weight really quickly or you’re seriously bloated for more than a handful of days, you will need to get yourself checked out because it could be a symptom of ovarian cancer.
If you look bigger because various parts of your body, such as your feet or legs have swollen, then it could be a sign that you have a heart problem and that will need to be dealt with pretty quickly too.
Abdominal Pain
As women, we tend to experience a lot of abdominal pain throughout our lives, whether it’s monthly cramps, bloating or minor gastrointestinal issues, but if you experience a sudden abdominal pain out of the blue, you shouldn’t be so quick to blow it off because it could be your body’s way of telling you that you’re suffering from a number of serious conditions including ulcers, diverticulitis, appendicitis or endometriosis. Use your judgment, and if it feels wrong, seek help.
Rapid Weight Loss
If you have a few pounds to lose, you might be delighted to find that they’ve vanished from your body without you so much as even trying to lose them, but rapid weight loss is not necessarily something to cheer. It is a pretty common symptom of various serious illnesses including cancer and diabetes. So, if you think it’s too good to be true and you haven’t changed your diet or activity levels, get it checked out.
Bloody Stools
If you notice, after going to the toilet, that your stools contain blood, or that they’re black in colour (that’s a sign that blood is present), although it could be something fairly minor such as hemorrhoids, it could also be the first symptoms you notice of a stomach ulcer or cancer. Again, this is something you shouldn’t ignore, no matter how embarrassed you might feel about seeing the doctor.
Being Out of Breath
You might not be the fittest person around but if you’ve noticed that you’re getting out of breath even more easily than you did before, like you can’t even go up the stairs without feeling short of breath, don’t dismiss it as simply a consequence of your being out of shape because you could actually have a pulmonary embolism or some other heart or lung issue that will need swift medical attention.
Swollen, Painful Legs
These symptoms are a sign of deep vein thrombosis, which can actually be deadly if left untreated. This is something that you are more likely to suffer from after a long flight, but it can happen out of the blue, so don’t dismiss the possibility out of hand.
The same symptoms could also be an indicator of heart failure, so that’s another good reason to get it checked out.
Chest pains
A lot of women, for some reason, think that heart attacks are a man thing, but that simply isn’t the case, and if you experience persistent pain in your chest, which obviously isn’t just the result of gas, it could be a sign that you’re having a heart attack. This is even more likely if you’re sweaty, your arm is numb, or you are struggling to breathe, Treat it seriously.
The bottom line: Changes in your body are normal, but not all changes are normal, and some cannot be safely ignored. Even delaying seeking help by a day could be too late, so even if you think it’s nothing and even if you think you’ll be wasting your doctor’s time, seek help if you experience any of the above symptoms.