10 Symptoms you Shouldn't Ignore

[njiwa]

Experts agree that not every symptom warrants a trip to the doctor, but some seemingly minor signs shouldn't be toyed with (in men or women). We asked physicians to tell us the most serious symptoms that often go ignored-and why they shouldn't be.

1. Feeling Tongue-Tied

"you might be thinking you are having a senior moment" but could be A stroke. When a clot, injury, narrow blood vessel or other problem restricts blood flow to the brain, the result can be a TIA-a transient ischemic attack, which impairs brain function and can make speech difficult. It's different from the tip-of-the-tongue reaching for an elusive word. "u might find that words can't come out at all, u 'll speak words that are different from the ones u intended or mumble things that don't make sense

Such symptoms warrant an immediate call to the doctor or trip to the ER. Mini-strokes usually last a few minutes and symptoms typically disappear within an hour, but having a TIA means you're at immediate risk of a more massive stroke. Men have a slightly higher risk of TIAs than women, and risks go up with age, especially after 55

2. Shortness of Breath

u might thinking:" I'm really out of shape today ".But it could be: An impending heart attack. Shortness of breath with exertion such as walking up a flight of stairs could be a sign that the heart muscle isn't getting enough oxygen-a hallmark of coronary heart disease, which men age 55 and over are at an increased risk for."Any condition that makes breathing a struggle, including asthma and allergies, is exacerbated by exertion.

But if shortness of breath seems to be getting worse each time, u should worry about the heart." Breathing that's labored and doesn't improve warrants go to the ER. An electrocardiogram or EKG (which measures the electrical activity of your heart), a sonogram or ultrasound of the heart, and chest X-rays can help diagnose or rule out a heart problem

3. Persistent Pain On One side of the Abdomen

u might be thinking : " I probably pulled a muscle" But it could be: A kidney stone or tumor. One-sided pain that goes away probably is a side stitch or pulled muscle and nothing to worry about. "But if a dull ache is persistent, it should be evaluated by a physician," . "It could be many things, but a tumor is one of the first possibilities we consider." An ache from a tumor won't likely move around, and may get better u might be thinking of of taking an over-the-counter pain reliever-but will keep coming back. "Any abdominal pain that doesn't resolve within three days deserves to be checked out."
Sharp, excruciating pain that hits suddenly and doesn't improve within an hour warrants a trip to the ER. "If it's a kidney stone, the pain will radiate from a specific point and can be intense enough to make you vomit,"

If I've had one myself, and it's so horrible it makes you want to die." The problem could also be appendicitis, a perforated ulcer or a hernia, so it's important to get checked out.

4. Toilet-Time Blood

u might be thinking "Must be something I ate" but could be A kidney stone or bladder cancer if blood is in urine; colon cancer if blood is in stools. Bright red spots on tissue after wiping are likely from hemorrhoids. But blood in stools that have become narrower and thinner than usual (like the width of a pencil) could be a sign of cancer. Black, tarry stools might also indicate stomach bleeding from an ulcer. His doctor will likely examine the GI tract via a colonoscopy or upper endoscopy to nail down the problem.

Blood in urine may show up as a subtle pink hue, but u shouldn't dismiss minuscule amounts or chalk it up to eating beets. "You'd have to eat a whole lot for that to happen," Assume any reddish color is blood: One drop can turn the bowl pink. "Even microscopic amounts are a warning,"

"If u can actually see red color, u should definitely be evaluated."

5. Trouble Down Below

u might be thinking : There's a pill for this But it could be: An early warning of cardiovascular disease. "The latest studies find that men in their 40s and 50s with erectile dysfunction may be two to five years away from a cardiovascular event like a heart attack," . A recent study at the Mayo Clinic found that men who had ED in their 40s were 50 times more likely to have heart trouble down the road than men who didn't. The artery leading to the penis is about half the diameter of the one feeding the heart, so experts think that restricted blood flow from atherosclerosis shows up early down below. An EKG or stress test can identify cardiac problems and a Doppler ultrasound (usually from a urologist) can test blood flow in penile blood vessels.

"The first sign of erectile dysfunction (ED) is usually trouble maintaining an erection during sex or not having normal morning erections" morning erections are important to every man

The good news is that the onset of ED, if it's caused by cardiovascular disease, so women suggests your man may have a window of opportunity to treat heart disease before it becomes a serious problem

6. Daytime Fatigue

u might be thinking : I should go to sleep earlier.But it could be: Obstructive sleep apnea. Spending more time in bed won't help if fatigue is due to this condition, in which the airway narrows or is blocked during sleep, cutting off breathing and disrupting slumber five to 30 times an hour. "Everyone has a night here and there when he doesn't sleep well. But if the fatigue doesn't go away even when you can catch up on rest, sleep apnea could be putting you at risk for health problems such as heart attack, arrhythmias, stroke or even heart failure,"
A sign you are chronically tired: falling asleep while doing activities during waking hours. "It's not normal to fall asleep during usual waking hours just because you're in a dark room,"

Sleep apnea is especially common in overweight men and heavy snorers, but can be treated with breathing devices such as a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), an apparatus that you wear at night to keep airways open. Losing weight and surgery to widen the airway can also help

7. Constant Grumpiness

u might be thinking: I'm just under a lot of stress at work. But it could be Depression. Feeling cranky and low because of work hassles or difficult times is normal, but it should dissipate within a few days. With clinical depression, downbeat irritability lasts weeks at a time.

Talk therapy and antidepressant medication are the options ur doctor will likely suggest first. But if u have symptoms such as fatigue, low sex drive and loss of muscle mass, you are advised getting a blood test for low testosterone, which is sometimes the root cause of depression, especially in men over 40. Testosterone replacement in the form of gel, skin patches or injections can reverse the symptoms, but you should first talk to your doctor carefully about your medical history and the potential risks of testosterone therapy.

8. Frequent Urination

u might be thinking: I'm drinking too much coffee. But it could be:Type 2 diabetes or an enlarged prostate . It might be the coffee-when you actually drinking it. But if you often gets up to go twice or more during the night, your body could be trying to get rid of excess blood sugar that's built up because it can't get into cells-the problem that defines diabetes. you should first try adjusting what or when you drinks at night to see if that leads to fewer wee-hour trips to the bathroom. "If you still urinates more than you did a month ago, you should get your blood sugar checked, especially if you also have increased thirst, another red flag for diabetes," Dr. Miner says. Diabetes can usually be controlled with changes in diet and exercise, often combined with medication.

If you also feeling like you can't empty your bladder completely and/or ur having a slow or weak stream, dribbling and having trouble getting urine flow started, the problem may be a growing prostate. This small gland surrounds the tube that carries urine out of the bladder, so an increase in size can put the squeeze on urine flow-a common problem in middle-aged and older men. (In men under 50, symptoms could be due to a urinary tract infection.)

Though painless, an enlarged prostate can eventually get worse and lead to acute urinary retention, where you suddenly can't urinate at all, which is an emergency that often leads to surgery. Treatment ranges from exercises to strengthen muscles in the pelvic floor to medications that relieve symptoms or shrink the prostate. Prostate cancer is also a possibility, especially for men over 50, and if the doctor suspects that, u'll do a rectal exam and draw blood to check PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels; higher-than-normal results may indicate prostate enlargement, an infection or cancer.

9. Yellowish Skin

u might ask your self "what yellow skin??" but could be Liver trouble. Yellow skin, or jaundice, suggests the liver isn't functioning right. Possible causes in adults include liver disease, gallstones, pancreatic cancer or a viral hepatitis infection, which causes swelling of the liver.
"Hepatitis A isn't a disease people think of, but it's a virus found in contaminated shellfish and can be passed on by people who prepare food and don't wash their hands,"

In fact, hepatitis A is one of the most common infectious diseases that's preventable with a vaccine- worth considering for anyone who hasn't been inoculated. Symptoms like jaundice, fever, upset stomach and fatigue usually show up within two to six weeks of exposure and get better on their own with a few weeks of rest. (And the virus doesn't stay in your body after that.) But check in with ur doctor, who'll most likely want to run some tests to figure out exactly what's going on.

10. A New Spot-Mole, Freckle, Red Patch- On the Skin

u might be thinking: "It'll go away" But it could be: Skin cancer or seborrheic keratoses- warty, waxy benign lesions that become more common in middle age. Any time a new skin growth appears or an existing one changes in size, color or shape, u should see a doctor. Be especially concerned if a spot or mole gets darker, bleeds, itches or feels irritated-all of which are possible signs of skin cancer,

according to the American Academy of Dermatology. The differences in appearance between a benign growth and skin cancer-especially melanoma, the deadliest type-can be subtle. So your physician may want to take a biopsy to make a definite ID.

 

[Vin Diesel]

asante mkuu

 

[SHINYAKA]

na thithi tuthiojua kithungu naomba ututafathilie!!!

 

[fige]

thank you sir

 

[andry surlbaran]

Nazidi kukuheshim toka ushauri wako uliponipa nikaufanyia kazi, much respect!

 

[Makoye Matale]

Nyongeza nyingine hii hapa:

INTRODUCTION
Seeing blood in the toilet, on the outside of your stool, or with wiping after a bowel movement is common. Fortunately, most of the causes of such rectal bleeding are not life-threatening; common causes include hemorrhoids and anal fissures. However, the only way to be certain of the cause is to be evaluated by a healthcare provider.
This topic will review when to seek help for blood in the stool, the most common causes of blood in the stool, and tests that may be recommended. (See "Approach to minimal bright red bleeding per rectum".)
WHEN TO SEEK HELP
Most people with minor rectal bleeding do not have colon cancer or another serious condition. However, it is not possible to know the cause of rectal bleeding without an examination. Thus, ANYONE who notices rectal bleeding should talk to their healthcare provider to determine if an examination is needed. (See 'Rectal bleeding tests' below.)
RECTAL BLEEDING CAUSES
Seeing a small amount of blood after wiping, on the outside of your stool, or in the toilet is most commonly caused by hemorrhoids or an anal fissure.
Hemorrhoids - Hemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels in the rectum or anus that can be painful, itchy, and can sometimes bleed (figure 1). Painless rectal bleeding with a bowel movement is a common symptom of hemorrhoids. Bright red blood typically coats the stool or blood may drip into the toilet or stain toilet paper. (See "Patient information: Hemorrhoids".)
Anal fissure - An anal fissure is a tear in the lining of the anus, the opening where feces are excreted. Anal fissures can cause bleeding and a sensation of tearing, ripping, or burning during or after a bowel movement. (See "Patient information: Anal fissure".)
Other causes of rectal bleeding - There are many other causes of rectal bleeding, including colon cancer, colon polyps, colitis, and diverticulosis. (See "Etiology of lower gastrointestinal bleeding in adults" and"Approach to resuscitation and diagnosis of lower gastrointestinal bleeding in the adult patient".)
In addition, bleeding from higher in the digestive tract, such as the stomach, can produce black, tarry bowel movements because stomach acid turns blood black. Bismuth (such as in Pepto Bismol) and iron supplements can also make the stool appear black. Passing blood from the rectum that is dark red or includes clots usually indicates bleeding from higher in the colon than anal fissures or hemorrhoids would produce.
RECTAL BLEEDING TESTS
The best test for rectal bleeding depends upon your age, symptoms, and past medical history.
Rectal examination - Sometimes a clinician can detect the cause of rectal bleeding with a rectal examination. In younger people, this examination may be all that is necessary.
Anoscopy - Anoscopy allows a clinician to inspect the anus and lower rectum. It can be done in the office and does not require sedation.
Sigmoidoscopy - During a sigmoidoscopy, a clinician can examine the rectum and most of the lower large intestine (figure 2). Sigmoidoscopy can be done without sedation. (See "Patient information: Flexible sigmoidoscopy".)
Colonoscopy - A colonoscopy is a procedure in which a physician examines the entire colon, usually while the patient is sedated. (See "Patient information: Colonoscopy".)
WHY SHOULD I WORRY ABOUT RECTAL BLEEDING?
While most rectal bleeding is caused by the non-serious causes mentioned above, bleeding can also be caused by cancerous or precancerous conditions. Precancerous polyps near the end of the colon can mimic bleeding from hemorrhoids. These are generally present in the colon for years before they become cancerous, and they can be removed very safely from the colon, preventing progression to cancer.
Colon cancer may be diagnosed in patients who have ignored bleeding for years because they assumed it was from hemorrhoids. Polyps and colon cancer become more common with aging, and thus investigation of bleeding is most important, and is usually most intensive, in patients over the age of approximately 40 to 50 years. (See "Patient information: Colon cancer screening".)
WHERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION
Your healthcare provider is the best source of information for questions and concerns related to your medical problem.
This article will be updated as needed every four months on our web site (www.uptodate.com/patients).
Related topics for patients, as well as selected articles written for healthcare professionals, are also available. Some of the most relevant are listed below.

Patient Level Information:
Patient information: Hemorrhoids
Patient information: Anal fissure
Patient information: Flexible sigmoidoscopy
Patient information: Colonoscopy
Patient information: Colon cancer screening

Professional Level Information:
Approach to minimal bright red bleeding per rectum
Approach to resuscitation and diagnosis of lower gastrointestinal bleeding in the adult patient
Clinical features of hemorrhoids
Clinical features, staging, and treatment of anal canal cancer
Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of colonic diverticular disease
Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and staging of colorectal cancer
Colonic diverticular bleeding
Etiology of lower gastrointestinal bleeding in adults

The following organizations also provide reliable health information.

• National Library of Medicine

(www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthtopics.html)

• The American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy:

(www.askasge.org)

• National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse

(Flexible Sigmoidoscopy)
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[njiwa]

shukran bwana Makoye Matale