Checklist: 10 symptoms you should not be afraid of
Olga Lukinskaya
We talk a lot about medical alertness and about what symptoms should make you go to a doctor, but sensitivity to your own body can play a cruel joke. When the desire to take care of oneself grows into fear of getting sick, any minor change can be perceived as a terrible symptom. This happens not only because of hypochondria, but also because of insufficient knowledge about the human body or conviction in some kind of "norm", often imposed. We talk about ten symptoms that are often not as bad as they seem.
1
Chest pain
A sharp pain in the chest, not giving a normal breath, exhale or move, terribly scary - it seems that "grabbed the heart." But more often, the causes of pain lie in neuralgia - irritation of one of the intercostal nerves. To distinguish these states is quite simple: neuralgic pain is aggravated by breathing, laughing or moving; the pain associated with the heart remains pressing, burning, pulling and does not change, no matter how you try to move or breathe deeply. Heart pain is called angina pectoris, and is primarily felt behind the sternum. Angina is a reason to ask for emergency help (for example, to call an ambulance).
Intercostal neuralgia often occurs after sleep, when the muscles are not yet warmed up, for example, when getting up sharply from bed or turning; It happens that the rib cage reduces after an intense workout. Such pain passes rather quickly, and you can help yourself by stretching and neat movements. And although if neuralgia is often exacerbated, it is worth going to see a specialist, you should not be afraid of a single episode of pain.
2
Vaginal discharge
A small amount of creamy white or clear discharge on any day of the menstrual cycle is a physiological phenomenon. Mucus secretion helps the vagina and vulva to function and maintain healthy microflora. The consistency may vary depending on the phase of the cycle (for example, during ovulation, secretions resemble egg white). Brownish discharge or a small amount of blood may also be the norm in certain periods - for example, when you get used to a new contraceptive. It is best to discuss the appointment of a contraceptive with your doctor, what to look for, and what should not be afraid.
If the discharge has become yellow, gray, green, greatly increased in volume or acquired an unpleasant smell - you need to consult a doctor. The causes can be different - from sexually transmitted infections to vaginosis or vaginitis, which has contributed to the heat, tight clothing or poor hygiene (for example, during a hike). The gynecologist will orient which remedy for intimate hygiene will work best. Recall that the pads for every day only protect the laundry from the discharge, but do not contribute to the health of the vulva.
3
Breath from morning
We have already told that in most cases bad breath is caused by dental diseases and is much less often associated with diseases of the stomach, palatine tonsils, paranasal sinuses, or with diet features. All this applies to situations where the smell is during the day, and after brushing your teeth does not disappear or quickly resumes. Dry mouth, unpleasant sensations and a "stagnant" smell immediately after waking up in the morning is another matter, and it is completely normal even for people with healthy teeth and excellent hygiene.
The salivary glands are actively working during the day, but at night less saliva is produced. Dry environment promotes the growth of bacteria that produce volatile sulfur compounds with an unpleasant odor. To freshen breath, it is usually enough to rinse your mouth or brush your teeth. In the long run, it does not hurt to quit smoking and monitor the use of alcohol - this will contribute not only to the morning feeling of freshness, but also to the prevention of many diseases.
4
Temperature is not 36.6
One of the myths inherited from Soviet medicine is the myth that the only normal body temperature is 36.6 degrees Celsius. For some reason, neither diurnal fluctuations nor individual variability were taken into account. Many people remember how their parents dragged them to polyclinics for examinations because of the persistent temperature of about 37 degrees. In fact, normal body temperature is a whole spectrum, from about 36.1 to 37.2 degrees, and during the day it can vary by about half a degree.
The temperature also depends on the place of measurement (in Russia, it is more usual to do it in the armpit, but young children often take the temperature in the mouth, ear or rectum). The result may also be affected by purely technical reasons, such as calibrating an individual thermometer - therefore, it is better to use the same thermometer to track changes during the illness. Technical errors can also be the cause of unexpected deviations in the test results, so the correct tactic in identifying changes that are not consistent with the overall picture is to first of all repeat the blood or urine test.
5
Points and grooves on the nails
"Diagnosis on the nails" is a very popular phenomenon on the Internet. The lists of reasons for the appearance of points, grooves and spots are called anemia, heart failure, kidney problems, and many other unseemly conditions. But we must understand that with such serious violations not only the nails will suffer, and it is unlikely that they will be the first to attract attention. If any elements on one or several nails appeared against the background of complete health, you should not be afraid - almost certainly they are caused by a small local injury caused during manicure.
6
Hair loss after childbirth
Intensive hair loss, which begins three to four months after childbirth, is a completely natural condition, which should not be blamed for bad shampoo or imaginary vitamin deficiency. In fact, less than before pregnancy, the hair will not become - only “accumulated” during this time will fall out. During pregnancy, due to hormonal changes, the resting phase of the hair becomes longer, and several months after giving birth a large amount of hair enters the loss phase at the same time. There is no need to worry about the hair itself, and it will not be possible to help with any special treatment - this period will have to be endured.
7
Lymph node enlargement
The “appearance” of a previously invisible lymph node scares many people, causing them to suspect the worst thing - leukemia or other oncological diseases. In fact, these diseases are extremely rare, and lymph nodes do not appear and do not disappear, they just sometimes increase in size from intensive work. The reason may be any disease like a cold, when an increased load falls on the lymphatic system; sometimes the lymph nodes are visible or easily felt by healthy people, especially of thin build.
Pediatrician Sergei Butry in his blog says that alertness should only cause a steady increase in the lymph nodes up to 2-3 centimeters or more (the normal size of these formations is up to 1 centimeter), an increase in lymph nodes of different groups and the absence of obvious reasons for this, according to the doctor.
8
Delayed menstruation
It is believed that fluctuations in the menstrual cycle in the range from 21 to 35 days - not a deviation. Stress can result from them as a result of climate change, long flight, changes in the nature of food and activity - that is why many people come on extraordinary monthly holidays.
The reason without a pronounced beginning may be the onset of perimenopause, the period of gradual preparation of the body for menopause. This condition can begin around thirty-five or forty years from irregular periods. This is not a disease, and you should not be afraid - but in order to control the process and maintain good health, it is better to contact a gynecologist and endocrinologist.
9
Forgetfulness
If from time to time you find yourself in a room, not remembering why you went there - do not panic; Most likely, this is not Alzheimer's disease. Forgetfulness can be caused by lack of sleep, stress and overworking, and attempts to relax with alcohol also do not contribute to good memory and concentration. Another reason could be medication: some antidepressants, heartburn remedies, or anti-allergies.
To keep your memory in good shape, it is best to try to eliminate the causes of forgetfulness: follow the sleep hygiene and at least partially reduce the load. For short-term memorization, there are several life hacking: for example, the list of products you need to buy can be decomposed in your mind into the dishes you are going to cook (or you can simply write everything down on a piece of paper or on the phone).
10
Cellulite and stretch marks
Just to remind you that cellulite is not a disease and not a defect, but a peculiarity of the skin inherent in most women and some men, stretch marks do occur in almost 90% of people of both sexes. The latter may frighten slightly at the first occurrence: fresh stretch marks are usually red or purple in color, but over time they become hardly noticeable.
It is impossible to “cure” these conditions, and their prevention is doubtful - for this, it would be necessary to eliminate any hormonal fluctuations associated with the puberty period. Regular activity and a varied diet are the basis for keeping muscles and skin in optimal condition. It's not even that good physical shape will make cellulite less noticeable - it will help you to love your body and stop paying attention to imaginary "flaws".
Photo: Goody Good, Africa Studio - stock.adobe.com, Dmitri Stalnuhhin - stock.adobe.com, domnitsky - stock.adobe.com, EdNurg - stock.adobe.com