Here
are six important flashing signals.
1. Paralysis of the arms or legs, tingling, numbness,
confusion, dizziness, double vision, slurred speech, trouble finding words, or
weakness, especially on one side of the face or body.
These are signs of a stroke -- or a "brain
attack" -- in which arteries that supply oxygen to the brain become blocked
or rupture, causing brain tissue to die.
Symptoms depend on which area of the brain is involved.
If a large blood vessel is blocked, a wide area may be affected, so a person
may have paralysis on one side of the body and lose other functions, such as
speech and understanding. If a smaller vessel is blocked, paralysis may remain
limited to an arm or leg, or even the face.
If you have symptoms, call 999 right away and get to an
emergency room that offers clot-busting therapy for strokes due to blocked
vessels. Such treatment, which dissolves clots in blocked vessels, needs to be
given within the first 3 hours after symptoms begin, but newer treatments may
work within a longer time frame, says Birge, who is medical director at the
Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Ga.
Timing is urgent; fast treatment can potentially stop
brain tissue death before permanent brain injury happens. "There is a time
clock ticking as to when you might recover," Birge tells WebMD.
2. Chest pain or discomfort; pain in the arm, jaw, or
neck; breaking out in a cold sweat; extreme weakness; nausea; vomiting; feeling
faint; or being short of breath.
These are signs of a heart attack. If you get some of
these symptoms, call 999 immediately and go to the emergency room by ambulance.
Shulman and Birge also recommend that patients chew one regular, full-strength
aspirin (unless they're allergic to aspirin) to help prevent damage to the
heart muscle during a heart attack.
Not everyone who has a heart attack feels chest pain pressure or a sense of indigestion. Some people, especially women, the elderly,
and people with diabetes, get "painless" heart attacks, the doctors
say. Being aware of "painless" heart attack signs is crucial:
symptoms may include weakness, sudden dizziness, a pounding heart, shortness of
breath, heavy sweating, a feeling of impending doom, nausea, and vomiting
Both
doctors say it's important to learn heart attack signs and understand them in
context. "Everybody has jaw pain. You don't immediately run and say, 'I've
got a heart attack,'" Shulman tells WebMD. He is an associate professor of
internal medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. "But
if you're also sweating and you have some of these other symptoms -- shortness
of breath and so forth -- then that's going to tip you off that there's
something much more serious happening."
3. Tenderness and pain in the back of your lower leg,
chest pain, shortness of breath, or coughing up blood.
These are symptoms of a potentially dangerous blood
clot in your leg, especially if they come after you've been sitting for a long
time, such as on an airplane or during a long car trip. These signs can also
surface if you've been bedridden after surgery.
"Anybody is susceptible," Birge says. He adds
that such blood clots are more common than most people and doctors realize.
Blood is more likely to pool in your legs when you're
sitting or lying down for long periods, as opposed to standing and
walking. If a blood clot forms in your leg as a result, your calf can feel
swollen, painful, and tender to the touch. If you get sudden chest pain or
shortness of breath, a piece of the blood clot may have broken off and traveled
through the bloodstream to your lungs. This condition can be life-threatening,
so get to an emergency room without delay if you have any of these symptoms.
4. Blood in the urine without accompanying pain.
Anytime you see blood in your urine, call your doctor
promptly, even if you have no pain.
Kidney stones or a bladder or prostate infection are
common causes of blood in the urine. But these problems are usually painful or
uncomfortable, which sends people to the doctor promptly.
In contrast, when people see blood in their urine but
feel no pain, some take a "wait and see" approach, especially if they
just have one episode. "But you can't have this attitude," Shulman
says. A lack of pain doesn't necessarily mean a lack of seriousness.
Cancer of the kidney, ureter, bladder, or prostate can
cause bleeding into the urinary tract; when these cancers are small enough to
be curable, they may not cause pain. So don't dismiss this important sign
because, according to Shulman and Birge, "blood in the urine may be the
only clue for an early diagnosis."
5. Asthma symptoms that don't improve or get worse.
Asthma attacks are marked by wheezing or difficulty
breathing. When an attack doesn't improve or worsen, a patient should get
emergency care.
If an asthma attack is left untreated, it can lead to
severe chest muscle fatigue and death, say Shulman and Birge. Some people with
persistent asthma hesitate to go to the emergency room because they've gone so
many times before, or they need someone to drive them because they're too short
of breath. So instead of seeking care, "They try to hang in there,"
Birge says, even if they need higher doses of inhalants or have decreased lung
function measurements when using a device to measure how well they move air out
of their lungs
Because asthma makes breathing difficult, the muscles
for breathing may tire and the volume of air exchanged by the lungs will
decrease. As a result, a person's oxygen level drops while blood levels of
carbon dioxide rise. As Birge and Shulman explain in their book, "A carbon
dioxide buildup in the blood has a sedating effect on the brain, which may
cause you to feel even drowsier. You may lose the motivation or energy to
breathe."
"A person with asthma who seems to be relaxing
more, who seems to not be struggling for breath anymore -- even though they've
been at it for 6 or 8 hours -- may be worse. It could be a sign of
respiratory fatigue," Birge says. Eventually, the person could stop
breathing.
"They're really in a big danger zone,"
Shulman adds. Patients believe they're getting better when they're getting worse, he says. "They become sedated and seem to be peaceful when
actually, they're dying."
One of the most important considerations is how long an
attack lasts, according to both doctors. "If you've been having labored
respirations with asthma not relenting after a period of several hours,
even though you may be apparently doing OK, don't let it go any longer,"
Birge says. "Get on to the emergency room."
6. Depression and suicidal thoughts.
Few people would put up with crushing chest pain or
extreme shortness of breath, but many endure depression, even though, at its
extreme, it can be life-threatening.
"Depression can be a very, very serious problem
because people can commit suicide," Shulman says. "Some people will
not seek care when they are depressed because they think that they'll be
perceived as being
crazy or not strong or not manly, and they have to
understand that there is a chemical imbalance going on in their brain. It is a
disease just like any other disease."
Symptoms of depression include sadness, fatigue,
apathy, anxiety, changes in sleep habits, and loss of appetite. Depression can
be treated with medications and psychotherapy
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