It’s so important to pay attention to your body and to be on the lookout for possible warning signs that something is wrong.
Our bodies are amazing, and if you don’t listen to yours, you’re making a big mistake.
AskReddit users weighed in and shared the human body’s equivalent to a ‘Check Engine Light’ that you should never ignore.
1. Mnemonic
“A good mnemonic to remember moles suspicious for melanoma:
A: Asymmetrical
B: Borders irregular
C: Colors (more than one color in a mole)
D: Diameter >6mm
E: Evolving (mole changes over time; this is the most important risk factor)
If caught early, melanoma has a good prognosis. If it has spread systematically, the prognosis is poor.”
2. Have it checked out
“Severe/debilitating headaches, for weeks, with no explanation.
My mom had them for weeks, was told she has sinusitis… turned out she had a Grade 4 brain tumour.
It’s likely nothing bad, but always make sure you get yourself checked out if something seems wrong.”
3. Rest is crucial
“A professional athlete knows they should take a rest day if their heart rate is elevated in the morning after waking up. This means your body is fighting something or still needs to recover from the last workout.”
4. Weight loss
“Losing weight without trying.
Happened to me twice in high school and once when I was 23. Got checked out and got told I must be stressed. The high school events happened quickly and seemed to resolve themselves pretty fast. The last time I dropped almost 20lbs from about 125-130 at 5’6″, down to just below 110lbs.
Pretty much went from a size 5-7 normal pants down to size 2-3. I didn’t notice until everyone started asking me if I was sick. Got check out and found nothing wrong with me. BUT I had issues with a past relationship and issues with my mother. I had also just moved back home. I soon became aware that I wasn’t really eating. Friends and co-workers were reminding me to eat throughout the day…I was unable to eat half a sandwich at the time.
It took me two and a half years to gain back the weight. It was a very unsettling ordeal.”
5. Same hand, huh?
“Things that go on much longer than they normally do.
“I hurt my hand and it’s swelling.” “Oh, that’s okay.” “It’s been sore and swollen two weeks.” “Never mind, go to the doctor.”
I learned that lesson the hard way, twice. Same doctor. Same hand too.
He thinks I’m an idiot.”
6. Treat yourself like a baby
“I was having a hard time at college one day so I call my mom. She asked if I had eaten, pooped lately, or slept well. I said no to all 3. She said even as an adult, treat yourself like you would to a baby crying. Are you hungry, tired, or wet? That’s probably why you are crying/grumpy.”
7. Don’t ignore it
“Back pain. My aunt had back pain, couldn’t figure out what it was for years. It was pancreatic cancer. Same with my mom. Chalked her back pain up to old age till it was so bad she couldn’t get out of bed one morning and made my dad call 911. It was lung cancer. Both died less than a year after diagnosis.”
8. FEELS
“FEELS
Fat (dramatic weight gain or loss)
Eating (sudden increase or decrease in appetite)
Excreting (changes in urine or stool frequency or characteristics)
Libido (sudden change)
Sleeping (excessive fatigue or insomnia)”
9. ADHD
“As someone diagnosed with ADHD
Forgetting important things mere minutes after being informed about them / being asked to do them was a big indicator
Other things like going from extreme apathy to suddenly intensely emotional (in my case it was anger) and then being unable to adequately reason why I was reacting in such a way was another giveaway.
Struggling to prioritise yet hyperfocusing on certain things that would be otherwise fairly innocuous in the wider picture is a textbook symptom
I’m sure each case is different, but I think that a lot of adults go through life undiagnosed and it can really be devastating to think you’re just not smart enough. That’s how many people can be made to feel.”
10. Listen up
“Medical student here. You would be surprised how many patients get these symptoms and don’t do anything about it or wait for hours before getting to a hospital.
Chest pain with exertion: Could be a result of coronary vessel disease or heart attack.
Weakness, numbness on one side of your body: Possible stroke.
Shortness of breath, chest pain after a long flight or period of immobilization: could be a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in lungs, usually with origins in the deep veins of the leg).
Coughing blood, especially in someone with history of smoking: Possible sign of lung cancer.
Weight loss with no explanation (No diet, increase in exercise, etc.): Can be a variety of different causes including hormonal (hyperthyroidism), but one of the most worrying causes is cancer.”
11. Fatigue
“Facts . I wrote it off as working too much or staying up too late, turns out my thyroid didn’t work anymore. My TSH levels were so low they did a paper on me wondering how I was able to function . Pay attention to your fatigue.”
12. Emotions
“Bursting into tears for little to no reason.”
13. Not a good sign
“Sudden trouble digesting food.”
14. Ugh
“Dark brown urine.
Turns out my kidneys were failing due to my spleen trashing my red blood cell count.”
15. Oh no!
“Black poop. That is how I found out I had cancer.”
