Around 10 million people in the UK get headaches regularly, and nearly everyone suffers one at some point. The most common — tension headaches — are short-lived, feel like a tight band around the head, and are typically brought on by lack of sleep, stress, hunger, not drinking enough water or too much caffeine. A severe throbbing headache at the front or side of the head may be a migraine which, while not life-threatening, is deeply unpleasant and needs prompt medical attention.
A sudden, blinding headache always needs immediate attention and you should go to the doctor. Spending time outdoors in the summer is vital for getting a good dose of the bone-strengthening vitamin D, but too much sun has a darker side. Excessive sunbathing and increased use of tanning salons has led to rates of malignant skin cancer melanoma skyrocketing in recent years: six people now die of melanoma in the UK every day.
If you catch a skin cancer early, however, it can be removed without any lasting harm. Check yourself every few months for new moles or freckles — even in winter. Any mole that has got larger, is itchy or bleeds, has raggedy edges or is made of different shades of brown should be shown to a doctor.
Look at a bright white wall or stare up at a blue, cloudless sky and you will probably be able to spot some odd black wispy blobs floating across your vision. No one likes to think about what goes down the toilet bowl, but you should try to steal a glance whenever you can stomach it. At least one in five of us gets a tummy bug each year, and most cases settle down quickly without ill effects.
If stool is very dark or black, or contains blood, then it is even more important to get an appointment as soon as you can. Back pain is the bane of so many of our lives and is a top cause of work absence. The human back seems to be ill-equipped to cope with 21st century life and backaches are rarely caused by anything serious. Aches and pains usually get better with time and helped by avoiding strenuous exercises, staying active and stretching. Your GP or a physiotherapist can give advice on dealing with long-standing back pain, but there are some types of back pain that need swift medical advice.
Numbness or tingling around the groin or buttocks, losing control of your bladder or bowels or finding it difficult to urinate might mean the nerves at the very base of the spine have become trapped, and so require urgent attention.
This list of symptoms is not exhaustive. There are of course plenty of other reasons why you should see your doctor. If you notice any sudden changes in your body or health, be wary of investigating your concerns online as this is likely to bring up inaccurate information - see our Dr Google article for more information.
Some examples include heart attack when the pain is in the chest, gallstones when in the abdomen especially if accompanied by nausea and vomiting , and appendicitis or kidney infection when in the pelvis. Outside of these cases, sudden bright flashes might be a sign of a retinal detachment, a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention to prevent permanent vision loss.
Watch out for trouble thinking or focusing, irregular sleeping patterns, and feelings of anxiety or depression. These can include difficulty concentrating, headache, irritability and change in sleep pattern; if any of these develop, see your doctor.
When symptoms or other medical problems develop between preventive visits, people may be unsure whether they need to see a doctor. Many symptoms and problems can be handled at home. Many small cuts and abrasions can be handled by first cleaning them with mild soap and water, then applying an antibiotic ointment and a protective covering see Wounds: First-Aid Treatment First-Aid Treatment Cuts or tears in tissue lacerations , scrapes abrasions , and puncture wounds can be caused by bites or by other mechanisms.
Wounds that are not caused by bites and are clean and relatively People with certain disorders should see a doctor sooner rather than later when new symptoms develop. For example, if people with a chronic lung disorder such as asthma Asthma Asthma is a condition in which the airways narrow—usually reversibly—in response to certain stimuli. Coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath that occur in response to specific triggers are The immune system Overview of the Immune System The immune system is designed to defend the body against foreign or dangerous invaders.
Such invaders include Microorganisms commonly called germs, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi Parasites Urination and thirst are HIV is transmitted Although an ideal drug would destroy cancer cells without harming normal cells, most drugs are not that selective.
Instead, drugs People with chronic disorders should discuss with the doctor in advance what new or changed symptoms should prompt a nonroutine visit. When unsure about the need to see a doctor or other practitioner, people should call their primary care doctor for guidance.
Some doctors can be contacted through an online portal or by e-mail for nonemergency questions. Others prefer to be contacted by telephone. Doctors cannot give all-inclusive guidelines for when to see a doctor and when it is unnecessary because symptoms with the same cause vary too much and symptoms with different causes overlap too much. However, some problems clearly require a call to a health care practitioner. In general, true emergencies should be handled by calling or the local emergency service to provide ambulance service to the nearest hospital.
However, deciding what qualifies as an emergency is sometimes difficult because symptoms vary greatly. Learning as much as possible about symptoms of life-threatening disorders such as heart attack Symptoms Acute coronary syndromes result from a sudden blockage in a coronary artery.
This blockage causes unstable angina or heart attack myocardial infarction , depending on the location and amount
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