While many people believe that major symptoms and incidents are the only reasons to see a doctor, it cannot be more inaccurate. Knowing when you need to see a doctor is essential, and can even be a life or death situation sometimes. You’re probably confused about what conditions can warrant a doctor’s appointment, especially if non-serious symptoms can result in life-threatening conditions. The most common way to know this is from the duration of your symptoms. If you’ve been observing your symptoms for more than two weeks, you need to see a doctor right away. To give you a better idea, here are 6 warning signs that call for a doctor’s visit right away.
1. Medical Emergencies
While you can keep track of moderate symptoms, some medical emergencies need medical treatment at once. These emergencies can include the following symptoms.
- Difficulty in breathing
- Choking
- Loss of consciousness or fainting suddenly
- Heart attack symptoms can involve pain in your chest, arm, or jaw. You may also notice sudden dizziness or difficulty in breathing in some cases.
- Any injury to your head or spine can be pretty serious and if not given urgent attention and medical treatment, can result in permanent or serious ailments.
- Symptoms of a stroke can encompass sudden speech indisposition, numbness, confusion, or blurred vision.
Medical emergencies should be handled urgently and with extreme care because if not taken care of properly, they can be extremely consequential.
2. Digestive Problems
A minor stomach ache or random indigestion is usually common, however, if your digestive problems persist even after a few weeks, it can be an indication of a serious problem. In these cases, you need to talk to your doctor promptly. Some of these minor to major symptoms can be:
- Frequent heartburn
- Blood in your vomit
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Difficulty swallowing or eating
- Bloody, or black stool
3. Cognitive Issues
Forgetting where you put your car keys every now and then isn’t something you need to be worried about. On the other hand, if you frequently start forgetting things and have observed that it happens to be a regular pattern, then it might be a sign of a serious brain problem. If you’re suffering from a cognitive issue, chances are that you probably won’t even notice it on your own, and that is why the team at smartclinics.com.au suggests that you find a doctor at once in these cases. Treatment in the early stages can prove to be best for cognitive conditions. Most people suffering from memory problems get to know about their symptoms from friends or family. Some of the many indications of a cognitive issue are as follows.
- Problem focusing or frequently losing your train of thought
- Trouble making plans, or decisions
- Noticeable behavioral changes
- Forgetting about things at frequent intervals
Cognitive issues, although seemingly harmless, can cause a lot of problems for you. Forgetting things isn’t an issue until you start to forget essential things that could create nuisances for you.
4. Respiratory Symptoms
Cold and flu are pretty common and usually do not indicate any serious health problems. On average, an adult gets about 2 to 4 colds in a year. What’s uncommon though is if the respiratory problems from your cold persist for more than 10 days. Serious indications for respiratory issues can include:
- Serious cough that lasts more than a month, accompanied by a fever, muscle strains, aches, or fatigue.
- Excessive mucus
- Trouble breathing
- Coughing up blood
The last symptom is one of the most serious ones and if observed should be treated immediately. While, in case of any of the other symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately, as these symptoms could be a sign of pneumonia or even bronchitis.
5. Emotional Complications
Your mental health is much as important as your physical health and fitness and should be treated with the same care as possible. Mental health issues have been increasingly common with passing time, if you face persistent mental health problems, these shouldn’t be ignored. Make sure you see a doctor, or more preferably a therapist, right away, as untreated mental health issues can lead to serious problems. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, or bipolar mood swings, getting help is the best possible way to deal with it.
6. Trouble After Surgery
Although surgeries contain the major risk factor for health issues, post-surgery symptoms can lead to quite the trouble. Complications after major or minor surgery can be consequent of how well the operation went, and how much you’re taking care of yourself. Some serious post-surgery symptoms can include.
- Constant bleeding
- Infections
- Swelling
- Trouble breathing
- Allergic reactions
Your health, whether physical or mental, should be your number one priority. Consequently, everyone should be well aware of when to go to a doctor because sometimes, even a minute of treatment can make a difference in someone’s life. So, make sure you’re aware of the indications and symptoms of when you should see a doctor and make sure that you get appropriate treatment right away.