Life is too short to ignore the signs – good or bad. On some days you bask in the utopia of a perfect day, complete with a hefty lottery, a great job offer and perfect health. On others, one scary health diagnosis comes crashing down on all your future plans. (WATCH THE VIDEO ADVERISEMENT HERE)Irrespective of the situation that you’re in, one thing we have always known is that life is always throwing curve balls and the only trick up our sleeve is to deflect them or lose points.
Therefore, in order to stay ahead in the game called ‘life’, you have to stay on top of your health too.
#LifeMe in anything can happen at anytime, so, here are a few pointers on how to deal with potentially scary situations.
Heart attacks
Shortness of breath, arm pain, feeling of general malaise, heartburn and sweating are some of the most common indicators of an impending heart attack. Everything depends on how soon you act. Sooner you consult a cardiologist, lesser is the damage to the heart muscles.Dr. Ganesh Nallur Shivu from BGS Global Hospitals says, “If a patient is experiencing symptoms of a heart attack like chest pain, breathing trouble or excessive sweating then as the first step he or she should stop whatever it is that they are doing and seek immediate help. Patient should get an ECG evaluation done as soon as possible to confirm if it is a simple case of gastritis or a heart attack.”
To emphasise the importance of immediate medical attention, Dr. Ganesh also points out that more than half of his patients ignore the early signs and only visit the hospital after the condition deteriorates. He maintains, “people should take better care of themselves while they can, through healthier diet and regular exercise”.
In healthcare, symptoms cannot be used as sole basis for a diagnosis until proper tests are done. Still, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms without a determinable reason then it’s best to consult a doctor, if only to rule out anything serious.
Diabetes
This happens to be one of the most misunderstood diseases. Most people are unaware of the serious effects of diabetes on kidneys, eyes, feet or heart, besides the ‘cute’ ban on eating sweets. Just to give you an idea of seriousness of diabetes, India alone has 4 crore diabetics between the ages of 5 to 65 years. Of these, at least 10% are insulin-dependent. As if this is not enough, studies also suggest that Indian genes are at a greater risk as opposed to our western counterparts.
If you have been diagnosed recently…
Consult a good diabetologist to guide you through a manageable diet plan and treatment. If insulin is a part of the treatment, then get on it as soon as possible and remember that diabetes is not the end of the world. Many people live perfectly normal lives with the proper care. However, if your family has a history of diabetes, then do your best to dodge it by staying active.
Did you know that brisk walks reduce the risk of diabetes significantly? Time to get on that treadmill, eh?
Toothaches
Dental problems are rarely life threatening and also most commonly overlooked. As a result, small problems remain undiagnosed until the last resort is an extraction or a root canal.
Experiencing persistent toothache?
Dr. Pamela Bhattacharjee of Oro Care Dental Center insists, “people should get dental check-ups every 3-6 months depending on the condition of the teeth.”
When asked about tips on how best to manage dental health, Dr. Bhattacharjee recommends regular brushing, mouthwashes and flossing. According to her, “it’s extremely important to rinse mouth after every meal to avoid food deposits. Also, including fibrous foods in the diet helps prevent tooth decay.”
So, if you have been experiencing persistent toothache, then you should act on it as soon as possible. It’s better to see a dentist before you are a tooth or two short.
Weight Loss
Excess weight gain is a common malady suffered by 40% of the world’s population. All thanks to the poor lifestyle and eating habits. Usually weight loss is not a matter of concern because weight fluctuations happen on a daily basis. However, if your weight gain is out of control, then you should consider healthier eating habits and regular exercise rather than crash dieting.
Do not skip meals. Ever.
If you have gained too much weight too soon then do not lose heart. All you need is a bit of motivation and positivity. Crash dieting may seem like the easy way out but in reality it has adverse effects on your body. You lose energy, nourishment and the will power to lose weight. Moreover, it leads to a sudden drop in weight, which is just as easily gained back as soon as you stop.
Lower back pain
Sitting for long hours sounds fun but it’s not. Your body would know if you have an 8-9 hour desk job and a nagging lower back pain. Either way it’s unwise to self-diagnose your condition especially if it’s related to your spine. There are chances that it may have something to do with your job but other serious conditions like sciatica and a degenerative lumbar cannot be ruled out.
Are you hurting in the back?
Book a consultation with a spine specialist to determine the cause of the pain. If you are lucky then it’d be just a posture-related pain. However, if the condition turns out to be serious then you would at least have an early heads-up to manage it later.
Headaches
The problem with most symptoms is that they are common to at least 20 other conditions.
Throbbing pain in the head?
Headaches may be because of several reasons. The most common type usually lasts up to 1-2 hours or until sufferer pops an aspirin or takes rest. Other common causes can be deteriorating vision, acidity or tension. More serious causes may be tumours, migraine or haemorrhage. See a neurologist for your peace of mind.
Health is wealth and rightly so because no amount of money gets back the vigour and joy of being active and alert. So, take good care of yourself and those you love.
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