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8 Health Warning Signs Not to Ignore

By Sameer Ather | Published January 18, 2023 | 8 min read

Are you ignoring health warning signs that actually need your attention?

Let’s all admit it: we are not always jumping at the opportunity to see a doctor every time we feel some pain or some discomforting health issue.

An aspirin here, a good night’s sleep there, a cup of a hot tea or an herbal remedy, and we feel as good as new.

However, medical science has taught us that our bodies are vulnerable and almost always signal us when something goes wrong.

Health warning signs are often subtle

You may not be a House M.D. special case, but that incredible show has taught us that there are certain subtle symptoms and health signs, you shouldn’t ignore.

The chances of you suffering from a rare and difficult-to-diagnose disease, such as the highly challenging Tourette syndrome, are slim.

However, you might suffer from other conditions with symptoms that you’ve previously neglected.

Therefore, we’ve listed eight essential health warning signs not to ignore, as they may be more dangerous than you could imagine.

Remember to check out our collection of insightful breast cancer quotes to raise awareness.

Health warning signs that are worth noting

1. You Snore

What is so special about snoring, you might ask?

Almost all people snore.

Men and women are alike.

It is indeed a common occurrence and certainly annoying for your partner.

Some people don’t even know they do it until someone else tells them.

However, snoring may be occasional, or it can be constant.

If you find yourself sleepy during the day, consider your snoring a health issue and a symptom of something more important that you shouldn’t ignore.

When Should You See a Doctor?

Talk to a specialist if you are told you snore every night or are aware of your snoring (sometimes it can be so loud it can wake you up).

Problematic snoring also comes together with gasps, snorts, and, sometimes, teeth grinding.

If all those symptoms are accompanied by daytime sleepiness, you might suffer from sleep apnea, which can lead to future heart problems and high blood pressure issues.

2. You Have a Headache

Everybody has headaches from time to time, even children.

According to specialists, most headaches don’t need immediate medical attention.

You might need a breath of fresh air, some water, a few hours away from your computer, or an aspirin.

There are several types of headaches, and they are associated with lack of sleep, hunger and skipped meals, poor body posture, sinus infections and colds, menstruation (in women), high blood pressure (or low blood pressure), indigestion, alcohol consumption and many more.

When Should You See a Doctor?

You should take your headaches seriously if you experience over three weekly episodes.

Consider seeing a physician if your headaches aren’t relieved by regular OTC meds.

If a headache comes on suddenly, is severe, and is associated with some neurological symptoms such as dizziness, numbness, tingling, weakness, loss of balance, falling, fever symptoms, stiff neck, shortness of breath, rash, nausea, or vomiting, you need immediate medical attention.

3. You Have a Stomach Ache

A stomach ache can be a health warning sign of a digestive issue or an alarm your body is trying to pull.

We get stomach aches for many reasons, and we prefer taking regular stomach meds or keeping a diet for a few days.

Abdominal pains are usually associated with indigestion, ulcers, constipation, etc.

GERD, heart attacks, injuries, GI infections and muscle issues, heavy lifting gym workouts, or common gas pains can also cause them.

When Should You See a Doctor?

A stomach ache doesn’t require immediate medical attention.

Still, call 911 or go to the hospital if your stomach pain lasts over three days or is associated with trauma and other symptoms described above.

If your abdomen is distended or tender, if you feel pressure or pain in your chest, if you show signs of nausea or vomiting, or if you show signs of jaundice, you don’t need Dr. House to tell you that you are in trouble.

4. You Feel Bloated and Abdominally Uncomfortable

Speaking about gas pain… many women deal with bloating, feeling like over-inflated balloons no matter what they eat, when they eat, and how they eat.

The bloating symptoms get a bit more severe, especially before their period, and sometimes last for days.

Women ignore this issue most of the time, but they shouldn’t.

When Should You See a Doctor?

You should keep track of your bloating and notice if it comes together with abdominal and pelvic pain and eating difficulties.

Also, if you experience such symptoms daily for over 2-3 weeks, call your doctor.

Such symptoms are associated with ovarian cancer.

The good news is that this type of cancer is quite rare (around 1 in 70 women get it during their lifetime).

You present higher risks of ovarian cancer if you have a family history of ovarian or breast cancer.

5. You Lose Weight and Don’t Mean to

Losing weight without doing anything about it is too good to be true.

Many people associate sudden or significant weight loss (in the absence of diets and exercises) with stress, work overload, exams, career changes, family issues, etc.

To some extent, losing a pound in a very stressful period of your life is not uncommon.

But losing 5% of your weight in 6-12 months without trying means dealing with something bigger.

When Should You See a Doctor?

See a doctor if you experience an inexplicable weight loss of around 5% or more in less than 12 months.

Multiple factors can lead to such health symptoms.

Sudden and unintended significant weight losses can be associated with depression, cancer, dementia, diabetes, hormonal issues, Parkinson’s, or hyperthyroidism.

6. You Feel Constantly Fatigued

This is not about you feeling like a wreck Monday morning after partying all weekend.

Constant fatigue is described as “always feeling tired” no matter how much sleep you get or how many brain boosters you use (coffee, black tea, energy drinks, or gym workouts).

Constant fatigue means you feel you will not make it until the end of the day.

It means you are sleepy at work, home, and even behind the wheel and feel lightheaded, dizzy, and unable to deal with your daily affairs.

Getting a few nights of recovery sleep or a vacation should solve the issue.

When Should You See a Doctor?

If you experience this lack of energy for days or weeks, you need to see your physician.

Constant fatigue is associated with allergic rhinitis, anemia, depression, fibromyalgia, uterine cancer, gastrointestinal cancer linked with anemia, hypothyroidism, or clinical mood disorders.

If you get 8 hours of sleep a night and still feel drained of energy, it’s time to take things seriously.

7. You Urinate Excessively

If you get up to run to the bathroom once a night, you shouldn’t worry too much.

But if you rush to the toilet three or more times during the same night, consider talking to your physician.

A small bladder is one thing; a mass pressing on your bladder can turn into a Grey’s Anatomy episode.

When Should You See a Doctor?

If you constantly wake up 2-3 times a night, even if you didn’t overdo liquid intake during the day, then it’s time to consider some other health issues.

A mass (benign or malign), uterine fibroids in women, diabetes, or constant fatigue, are the most likely culprits, so you need a differential diagnosis and a set of check-ups.

You may “hide” a kidney problem or other bladder and kidney infections you need to fend off as quickly as possible.

8. You Present White Patches on Your Tongue

Does your tongue look suspiciously white-coated or patched?

First, brush it properly for a few days or an entire week and see if the heavy white coating is still present.

If the issue persists, think about a gastrointestinal imbalance you can fix with a probiotic diet or supplements.

When Should You See a Doctor?

See your physician if those probiotics and healthy fermented yogurts didn’t do the trick and you still experience symptoms.

White tongue coating may represent a candida infection.

While it is treatable, it is also sexually transmittable and hard to eliminate.

Candida is associated with post-illness recovery, use of antibiotics, weak immune system signs—dangerous in and out of themselves—and STDs.

Your doctor will help you with a differential diagnosis for severe candida, gastrointestinal problems, and even oral cancer—which, unfortunately, is signaled by white tongue coatings.