If you experience sudden and severe headaches, feel a burning sensation in your chest or abdomen, or have a problem in your neck and eyes, do not ignore it…
Whether it’s muscle, stomach, or some other type of pain, we all encounter aches from time to time. However, distinguishing between ordinary, annoying little twinges and pains that could signal something much more serious is not easy. An article published in Hürriyet Sunday by Mehmet Öz explains further…
Sudden and Severe Headache: A sudden, intense pain out of nowhere can indicate a ruptured aneurysm or weakened blood vessel in the brain, potentially leading to a brain hemorrhage. If you experience a very severe headache that strikes like lightning, go to the hospital immediately instead of calling your doctor.
Calf Pain: While calf pain can be due to muscle strain from exercise or lifting something, do not overlook a more serious problem. Pain or cramping in your calves could also be a sign of a blockage in the leg’s veins, where a blood clot could travel to your lungs, causing difficulty breathing or even death. Pay particular attention if there is redness or swelling in your leg or foot and sensitivity to touch.
Burning Sensation in Chest or Abdomen: The burning sensation in your chest or abdominal area could be acid reflux or indigestion. However, if the pain recurs, does not go away with medication (or if you have other symptoms like weight loss or dark stool), it could be due to an ulcer. Peptic ulcers, or open sores on the inner lining of the stomach or duodenum, occur as stomach acid slowly irritates this delicate digestive tissue. Untreated, it can lead to serious bleeding or infection.
Arm or Shoulder Pain: Sudden pain in the arm or shoulder can be a sign of a heart attack, especially if the pain moves from the chest to the heart on the left side. Other symptoms of a heart attack include sweating, chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to the jaw or ear, fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, and nausea. Seek medical help immediately if you experience these symptoms.
Right Lower Abdominal Pain: Some abdominal pains are more critical than others. A pain that starts mild around the belly button and worsens, concentrating on the right side, could be a sign of appendicitis. The pain may worsen with movement and could be accompanied by fever, loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting. Seek immediate medical intervention to prevent your appendix from bursting. For women, right lower abdominal pain could indicate an ovarian issue like a cyst or twisted ovary.
Neck Pain: While neck pain due to muscle tension or stress is common, if the pain comes with numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arms and hands, it could mean a pinched nerve in the neck. Neck stiffness that worsens with movement could be a sign of meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes around the brain, which is extremely dangerous.
Eye Pain: Pain in one or both eyes, swelling, or changes in vision could signal dangerous conditions threatening your vision, such as orbital cellulitis and acute glaucoma. Orbital cellulitis is an infection in the tissues surrounding the eye, leading to swelling of the eyelids or cheeks, protruding eyes, fever, and nausea.
Acute glaucoma increases pressure in the eye, damaging the optic nerve. Symptoms include redness and hardness in the eyes, severe pain, and vision reduction or distortion.
Right Upper Abdominal Pain: Pain in the right upper abdomen, below the rib cage, could indicate a gallbladder issue. Pain that comes and goes, worsening after eating (especially fatty foods), could be due to gallstones periodically blocking the gallbladder duct. If the pain persists and is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or fever, you might be experiencing cholecystitis, an inflammation of the gallbladder.
Also, if you notice jaundice or yellowing of the skin or eyes, it could indicate cholangitis, an infection of the main bile duct. Both cholecystitis and cholangitis are serious medical conditions that may require surgical intervention.
