I was at work at the cats-only boarding facility over the weekend and twisted the wrong way, wrenching my knee. The pain about floored me, and I had to grab onto the nearest counter in order to stay on my feet. Sometimes, your body gives you signals you just can’t ignore!
There are some pains that can signal serious health issues — so don’t talk yourself out of getting some help if you experience something like these.
- The worst headache of your life could be a serious problem — a classic sign of a brain aneurysm is when a patient says they have the worst headache ever. If you aren’t sure what caused the pain, you should seriously consider getting checked out. (On the other hand, if you already have a cold and have a horrible headache that gets worse if you bend over or sit up, there’s a good chance that the pain is a sinus headache.)
- Pain or pressure in the chest, throat, jaw, shoulder, arm, or stomach — patients often describe a feeling of pressure like “an elephant sitting on my chest” when they are having a heart attack. Unexplained, persistent discomfort or pain should probably get checked by a medical professional.
- Pain in the lower back or between the shoulder blades could be any number of things — arthritis, abdominal problems, a heart attack, or other heart problems.
- Severe, acute abdominal pain could be any number of things — a ruptured appendix, gallbladder problems, a stomach ulcer, or an intestinal blockage.
- Swelling and pain in your calf muscles could be a sign of deep vein thrombosis — this condition affects approximately two million Americans each year.
- A burning or pins-and-needles pain in your feet or legs could be a sign of diabetes — what you’re feeling is neuropathy (nerve damage).
- Chronic pain that you can’t explain may not need a trip to the emergency room, but it might still need attention. Depression, for example, can come with painful physical symptoms like headache, abdominal pain, and body ache.