There are several types of pain which you should not ignore:
Chest pain
“If patients were to become well versed in what I think of as the subtle language of the heart, many could avoid needless worry and expense. Studies have found that women experience a wider range of heart attack symptoms than men do.” says Arthur Agatston, MD, a preventive cardiologist. According to his medical experience, there are three factors which can indicate that something is not right with your body, and they can occur in both genders. These factors include shortness of breath, intense chest pain which doesn`t go away, and pain in the upper part of the body which hasn`t happened before. Call 911 immediately if you notice any of these symptoms.
Severe head pain
In many cases it is nothing more but a migraine. However, if you experience other symptoms such as migraine aura, sudden severe pain can indicate a brain aneurysm. “A burst aneurysm can cause brain damage within minutes, so you need to call 911 immediately,” explains Elsa -Grace Giardina, MD, a cardiologist and director of the Center for Women’s Health at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.
A throbbing tooth
A throbbing pain is usually due to damaged tooth, indicating that the surrounding enamel is rotting away. In this case you have to act instantly in order to prevent further damage of the tooth. Also, you have to stop the spreading of the bacteria in your mouth which can lead to serious health consequences, explains Kimberly Harms, DDS, a dentist outside St. Paul, Minnesota. If your tooth is already damaged than you will need a root canal procedure in which the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed.
Sharp pain in your side
If you feel severe abdominal pain in your right side accompanied by nausea and fever, it may be a sign of appendicitis. It can also be a symptom of ovarian cyst in women. These cysts are usually harmful and do not need medical treatment because they disappear on their own. However, if you experience terrible and twisting pain, than you will need an urgent surgery. “If you don’t remove an inflamed appendix, it can burst,” says Lin Chang, MD, a gastroenterologist and co-director of the Center for Neurovisceral Sciences and Women’s Health at UCLA. The fluid-filled sac should also be immediately removed because it can obstruct the blood flow to the ovary in just a few hours.
Abdominal discomfort with gas or bloating
If you feel bloated and full of gases for a longer period, and you consume significantly less food than usually, it can be a sign of ovarian cancer. According to the 2007 Gynecologic Cancer Foundation Consensus, the early symptoms of ovarian cancer include pelvic or abdominal pain, bloating and eating disorders. If you experience these symptoms every day for more than 2-3 weeks, visit your doctor immediately.
Back pain with tingling toes
Letha Griffin, MD, an orthopedist and sports medicine specialist in Atlanta says: “One of your discs (the spongy rings that cushion the bones in your spine) could be pressing on the spinal nerve”. If not treated properly, it can lead to permanent nerve damage.
Leg pain with swelling
If you notice that your calf is swollen, red and warm to touch, it may be an indication of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT). Avoid massaging the area or using painkillers because the situation can be more serious than you think. If a blood clot breaks loose it can it can travel to the lungs and block blood flow (pulmonary embolism). Therefore, you should consult your doctor right away. You need to undergo a CT scanning or ultrasound in order to check for a DVT. In this case you have to take anticoagulants which have the ability to prevent blood clogs and thin your blood, explains Suzanne Steinbaum, MD, director of women and heart disease for the Heart and Vascular Institute at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
The symptoms of a stoke
According to the American Heart Association, stroke is considered as the third leading cause of sudden death in the United Stated, and it is the most common cause of severe disability.
If you notice any of the following symptoms, call 911 immediately:
– Sudden problem with vision in one or both eyes
– Sudden trouble with walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
– Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
– Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
– Sudden confusion, problems with speaking or understanding
