We all experience a runny nose, aches and pains, and other mild symptoms from time to time. Marla Ahlgrimm says these rarely mean a significant issue with our health. However, it pays to pay attention to your body so that you can seek medical advice for small issues that linger.
Today, the retired women’s healthcare entrepreneur shares a few things to keep in mind if you experience symptoms that won’t go away.
Bloodshot eyes.
According to Marla Ahlgrimm, bloodshot eyes can happen for many reasons, including a small infection, irritation, or as part of the common cold. However, if you look like you’ve been cutting onions for more than a week, especially if your red eyes are excessively watery or come with vision changes or pain, it’s time to head to your eye doctor to be checked for glaucoma or deep infection.
Skin rash.
Marla Ahlgrimm says that rashes are often caused by contact with an allergen. However, some connective tissue disorders, infections, or blood diseases may also present as a painful rash that doesn’t respond to OTC or conservative dermatologic remedies.
Dry mouth.
If you normally walk around with a dry mouth, you may have a condition called xerostomia. However, other diseases, such as Sjogren’s syndrome, are also a possibility. When drinking water doesn’t help, call your doctor.
Excessive sweating.
Hyperhidrosis is a condition that affects around three out of every 100 people. And while excessive sweating is usually little more than an embarrassment, Marla Ahlgrimm says that it may also be a symptom of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which may also come with weight loss, lymph node swelling, and night sweats.
Ice cravings.
Many people obsess over ice nuggets (think Sonic’s distinct ice). However, if you find yourself constantly craving ice or other non-nutritional items, Marla Ahlgrimm says to pay attention to your body as you may have pica. This is a condition that might mean an iron deficiency.
Trouble breathing.
If you’ve been running, jumping, or playing, you may feel short of breath, even if you’re healthy. However, Marla Ahlgrimm says that you should never have trouble breathing when doing normal activities, such as walking down the hallway or bending over to pick something up. While shortness of breath may be linked to pneumonia, it could also mean COPD, especially if you’re a smoker.
Chest pain.
According to Marla Ahlgrimm, chest pain actually doesn’t mean heart attack as often as you might think. Instead, it could be any number of issues from heartburn to melanoma.
Discoloration under your fingernails.
Marla Ahlgrimm explains that the area underneath your fingernails can become bruised because of impact trauma. However, acral lentiginous melanoma can also cause dark streaks under the fingernails, particularly in people of African-American and Asian heredity.
Fingernail separation.
Speaking of fingernails, Marla Ahlgrimm says that if your fingernails start to separate from the nail bed, you may have an overproducing thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism can also cause muscle weakness, irregular heartbeat, hair loss, and trembling.
Swelling fingers or toes.
Swelling may simply be the result of intaking too much salt, but it could also indicate congestive heart failure or kidney disease. If your fingers swell for no reason and don’t go down after a few hours, call your doctor for an appointment.
According to Marla Ahlgrimm, any of these symptoms in and of themselves is nothing to fret about. However, they should be temporary inconveniences. Any change in your health that does not go away with over-the-counter treatment, lifestyle changes, or routine medical care should be reported to your doctor immediately.
Marla Ahlgrimm has co-authored two ground-breaking books,