Medical Warning Signs You Should NOT Ignore
When one is so focused on a particular task or having so much fun, it can be very easy to ignore symptoms or sensations that one’s body is giving out. While a lot of the things we feel may be easily dismissed as something benign, there are certain sensations that should trigger alarm bells. The ability to discern which ones are critical and being able to call for help in a timely manner may literally be what separates life from death.
WebMD lists six of these serious symptoms that should not be taken lightly. These symptoms, when they happen to you or to someone you are with, merit an immediate call to 911.
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 set of symptoms are the classic warning signs for stroke; if heart attack is to the heart, then one may think of the stroke as a “brain attack”. Strokes are caused by blockage or rupture in the arteries that supply oxygen to the brain. As a result, the brain tissue may die.
The symptoms that a person may experience will depend on the area of the brain that is involved. Timing is critical when it comes to strokes, as the timing of the treatment has the ability to stop the death of brain tissue before permanent injury to the brain occurs. There is always the possibility of total recovery even after a stroke, provided that the appropriate treatment is administered at the right moment.
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 set of symptoms are signs that one may be having a heart attack. Chest pain or pressure are easily distinguishable; however, it is entirely possible that someone having a heart attack will not experience pain, so it is important to be familiar with other warning signs as well, such as feeling extremely weak and having a sudden onset of dizziness, as well shortness of breath.
The WebMD feature recommends immediately heading off to the emergency room in an ambulance. Doctors quoted in the feature also recommend that patients chew one regular full-strength aspirin in order to prevent damage to the heart muscle, provided, of course, that one is not allergic to aspirin.
Tags: heart attack warning signs, stroke warning signs, warning signs
