4 Health Symptoms To Tell Your Doctor About

Many of us are reluctant to even acknowledge health symptoms, let alone see the doctor about them. Often, minor issues clear up or subside without any need for treatment, but some red flags shouldn’t be ignored. In this post, we’ll outline some important health symptoms to tell your doctor about.

Lumps and Swelling

In most cases, swelling and lumps are nothing to worry about. However, sometimes, they can be linked to more serious illnesses. If you feel a lump or you detect inflammation that isn’t going away, see your doctor as soon as possible. The lump will likely be benign and harmless, but if it is cancerous, early treatment can increase survival chances dramatically. 

Changes in Your Stool

Changes in your stool are common and normally have everything to do with your diet. For example, diarrhea or constipation, these temporary pains in the ass- pun intended – can come on suddenly with dietary shifts.  Increased stress can also be a culprit. Fortunately, they usually go away as quickly as they showed up.

Sometimes, however, longer periods of digestive disruption can raise concerns about digestive inflammation and even things like cancer. Studies show that over 60 million Americans are diagnosed with a digestive disorder each year. Examples include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, and gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD). If your doctor is concerned they will do labs, colonoscopies, and biopsy analyses to get a clearer picture and rule out severe illnesses. See your doctor if you experience regular or recurrent bouts of diarrhea, constipation, bloating, or stomach pain or if you notice blood in your stool. 

Feeling Depressed/Anxious for a Prolonged Period

Most people have good and bad days that leave them feeling fantastic or down. It’s natural to feel sad or anxious if you’re dealing with bad news or you’re preparing for an important event. However, I recommend seeing your doctor if you feel low or on edge for a prolonged period. Seek advice if you’ve lost motivation or struggle to get up in the morning. Some other concerns are finding it impossible to relax or switch off, and losing interest in the things that usually make you happy. Mental health is as important as physical health and deserves your attention, as well as your doctor’s.

Persistent Tiredness or Fatigue

It’s no secret that humans feel tired from time to time, considering all that we do and are responsible for. Usually, tiredness is caused by a lack of sleep, but it can also be a side effect of an underlying health issue. Some concerns are thyroid issues, cancer, anemia, depression, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

When you go to your doctor, they will ask questions about your symptoms and carry out tests and examinations to try to identify the cause of your prolonged fatigue. Treating the cause is important, as opposed to just masking the symptoms. Treatments may include lifestyle changes, taking supplements, modifying your diet, or medication. You and your doctor can discuss what’s best for you once you understand what’s happening in your body.

Often, when we don’t feel well, we recover without the need for medical treatment or intervention, but, in some cases, it’s crucial to act on early warning signs. If you notice lumps or abnormal swelling or changes in your stool, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor. You should also seek advice if you feel low or anxious for a prolonged period or if you experience persistent tiredness. 

**** This post is strictly informational and is not meant to replace the advice of your healthcare provider. Women’s lifelink, its owners, administrators, contributors, affiliates, vendors, authors, and editors do not claim that this information will diagnose, treat, or improve any condition or disease.