Common health symptoms that you shouldn’t just ignore

We all get tired and worn down. Life is tough, we know. But there are some signs that we brush off as being part of the stress of everyday life that might indicate something a bit more serious is wrong.

This is not to say that if you have any of the symptoms below that there might be something wrong. We all know the old adage: don’t Google your symptoms.

However, nobody knows your body better than you do. You’ll have an inkling when something’s not hundreds.

This article does not constitute medical advice, but you should consult your doctor if you don’t feel so lekker.

Remember, too, that a healthy diet and moderate exercise should be your first line of treatment. Often, many of these symptoms means your body just wants some TLC.

However, if you’re not sure, speak to your doctor.

Your sleep pattern is out of synch

It’s not always possible to follow an exact sleep pattern, but rest is vital. It helps our bodies recover. Often if we’re having difficulty nodding off it’s due to the amount of the hormone cortisol in our body, so basically try to de-stress before bed to combat this.

According to WebMD, we should think of cortisol as nature’s built-in alarm system. It’s your body’s main stress hormone. It works with certain parts of your brain to control your mood, motivation, and fear.

It’s basically the body’s fight or flight response.

“If you have tiredness, brain fog, lack of motivation, among other symptoms, you should first have a thorough evaluation with a medical doctor. Anemia, sleep apnea, autoimmune diseases, infections, other hormonal impairments, mental illnesses, heart and lung problems, and kidney and liver diseases are just some among many medical conditions that could cause similar symptoms. If the workup from your medical professional turns out normal and you believe you might have adrenal fatigue, I would recommend you consider a fundamental question: Why would your adrenals be drained? Take a better look at what types of stress might be affecting you. For many, the hectic pace of modern life is to blame,” explains Dr. Marcelo Campos.

For people who work shifts, regulating sleep is even more important – and more difficult

Feeling tired all the time

This can be hard to diagnose because, as we all know, life is tough and demanding. . However, if tiredness is becoming chronic then it might be worth checking it out- from thyroids to burnt out adrenal glands it could be a problem that needs to be addressed.

Your wee is a dark colour

Staying hydrated is critical for our well-being. If your urine is a dark colour that doesn’t go away with guzzling some water, you should consider seeing a doctor.

Most changes in urine colour and odour are temporary and can be attributed to certain foods, vitamins, and medicines. But sometimes smelly or discoloured urine can indicate an underlying medical condition, medical experts say.

If your wee is smelly, too, Mayo Clinic warns that it could be an indication of the following:

• Urinary tract infection
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cystitis
• Gastrointestinal-bladder fistula
• Dehydration
• Maple syrup urine disease
• Metabolic disorder
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Liver failure
• Ketonuria

If you have difficulty urinating or feel a burning sensation when you do, you should see your doctor.

Snoring

Snoring is quite common and while it’s often because of bad eating habits, it could also indicate an underlying condition like sleep apnea.

The condition has gone from hardly being talked about to being widely discussed. Snoring is usually nothing serious, but if you have other health conditions, make sure you talk to your doctor about it.

Itching all the time

It might just be allergies. Or mosquitoes. But sometimes rashes and skin irritation can be a sign that something else is wrong. It’s best to chat to your doctor if over-the-counter treatments do not work.

Itching in your genital or rectal region should be seen to by a doctor as it could be an indication of something more serious.

Cracked lips

More often than not, it just means you need some more water. But cracked lips which doesn’t go away, might indicate that you need to up your Vitamin B intake.

Bleeding gums when you brush

If your gums constantly bleed when you brush, you should see your dentist. Even if you think you might just have sensitive gums, it could be an indication of an infection.

This is especially important if you’ve not been do the dentist for a long time. If your gums bleed when biting into something hard like an apple, that could also be an indication of something more serious.