Every disease is associated with a symptom. A symptom is a characteristic change in function, sensation, or appearance of a person that indicates a disease or a disorder.
There are some symptoms that can be associated with a lot of diseases, such as fatigue, weight loss, and fever. There are also diseases that have little or no symptoms. These are called ‘silent killer diseases’, and a good example is hypertension.
There are three main types of symptom:
Remitting symptoms: These are symptoms that improve or get better without treatment. A good examples of a remitting symptoms are the symptoms of common cold which may occur for several days and then get better without treatment.
Chronic symptoms: Symptoms that last long are known as chronic symptoms. Chronic symptoms are seen in conditions like diabetes, asthma, and cancer.
Relapsing symptoms: Relapsing symptoms are symptoms that occurred in the past, got better, and have now returned. For example, symptoms of depression may return years after they have been resolved.
Nonetheless, there are some disease symptoms that could indicate something worse. There are the worse disease symptoms you should never joke with. However, these symptoms may or may not indicate a serious illness, it is very advisable to seek medical attention if you have them.
1. Pain in the leg along with redness and swelling
When you have sudden pain in the leg, followed by redness, soreness, and swelling, you could have Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Deep vein thrombosis is a medical condition that occurs when a blood clot is formed in the deep veins in your body. It usually happens in the legs.
This condition will occur in situations like if you don’t move for a long time, after surgery, or when you are confined to a particular place for a long time. This condition is very serious because DVT can cause the blood clots in your veins to break free and block blood flow to your lungs.
It is recommended that you seek prompt medical attention once you have this symptom.
2. Chest pain that spreads around the body
Having chest pain could be a sign of many minor problems. However, if you have chest pain that feels like it is spreading toward your neck, shoulder, or jaw, you might be dealing with something much worse. A heart attack often occurs when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the heart, and without blood, tissue loses oxygen and dies.
This type of symptom is closely associated with heart attacks. Heart attacks are usually very sudden and fatal. Seek immediate medical attention if you develop this symptom. Calling the emergency medical services as early as possible increases a patients chances of surviving a heart attack.
3. Sudden severe headache
There is a normal headache that most times starts gradually and with a considerable amount of pain. But there are also some headaches that start suddenly, and the pain is so unbearable.
If you have a sudden and unbearable headache, it could mean that you have ruptured a blood vessel in your brain. It can also be a brain hemorrhage. Whichever way, it is extremely life-threatening, and you should never ignore this symptom. Other symptoms that occur during brain haemorrhage are decreased alertness, lethargy, changes in vision, tingling or numbness, and seizures.
4. Abdominal swelling along with pain
Any symptom that is presented with abdominal swelling and pain should be treated with utmost importance. Abdominal swelling and pain mean that an internal organ has been damaged. It is also a warning sign for internal bleeding due to blunt trauma on the liver and spleen. Other serious symptoms of internal bleeding include, bleeding from the ear, mouth, nose, or anus, and vomiting or coughing up blood.
5. Having severe suicidal thoughts
Suicidal thoughts are a very common symptom of depression. A person who has started developing suicidal thoughts is very likely to end up committing suicide. No matter what you are going through, there is always hope as long as you are alive.
If you have any trace of suicidal thoughts on your mind, eliminate them immediately and seek help from a mental health professional.
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