For everything that is wrong in the human system, there is a symptom to give early warning but there are some signs that are not alarm bells while there are some that mustn’t be ignored. One of the most powerful tools is observation. And often, people have an inner feeling when a situation is dangerous. So when your intuition tells you something is wrong and it is serious, take action because it is better to err on the side of caution.
Some of the signs below must never be ignored:
Chest pain: If you have a chest pain or pressure that lasts more than a couple of minutes, or if it comes back, get someone to drive you to the hospital if you cannot get an ambulance.
Vision problems: If you suddenly have blurry vision, double vision or loss of vision; it can be a sign of stroke or other serious illness. Also, if you have trouble seeing or have a bad headache, nausea or vomiting, numbness, weakness, dizziness, confusion or trouble talking as well as severe pain or irritation in your eyes, you need to get to the emergency unit of a hospital immediately.
Shortness of breath: If this happens suddenly and is keeping you from your everyday activities, have someone drive you to the emergency room. If it’s severe or if you also have nausea or chest pain or you pass out. You could be having a heart attack or pulmonary embolism that is, a blood clot in your lung.
Burns: Usually, you can treat a minor first-degree burn (redness, swelling and pain in the first layer of skin at home, but if the burn is on a large part of your hands or on your feet, face, buttocks, groins, or one of your big joints, like your knees or elbows or if you have blisters, splotchy skin (second-degree burn), or if it’s bigger than three inches or charred or white (third-degree burn), you need immediate medical attention.
Deep cuts: If you can see yellow fatty tissue under the first layer of skin, or a cut won’t close or if it’s on your face, neck, genitals, or across a joint and if you are bitten by a person or animal, or cut with a dirty or rusty object and bleeding badly or have a foreign object stuck in the cut, you can’t treaty this at home.
Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy: While it is not always a sign of something serious, particularly spotting or light bleeding in the first trimester, you should note your symptoms and get medical care immediately especially if you have heavy bleeding, cramping, dizziness, or pain in your belly or pelvis.
Head injury: A bump on the head can be serious and need immediate medical care if you pass out, have a seizure or have a headache that won’t go away, persistent vomiting or nausea, slurred speech or you feel confused, weak, numb or less coordinated.
Testicular pain or swelling: This can be caused by an injury or infection, but it also can be a sign of serious problems in your abdomen. Get immediate care if the pain is severe or comes on quickly, or you
have nausea, vomiting, fever, or feel a lump in your scrotum. The same is true if you still have pain an hour after an injury or your scrotum is red or swollen.
Seizure: If you’ve never had one before, are pregnant, or have diabetes, a seizure calls for emergency medical care. If you know you have a condition that causes seizures, follow your doctor’s orders. But call your doctor if you start to have more seizures or have other symptoms along with them.
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