Signs that y our body is tr y ing to tell y ou something
despite getting plenty of sleep could also be a sign of diabetes.
Prof Naveed Sattar, professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, said: “It’s likely that risk factors which lead to diabetes also cause napping. This could include slightly high sugar levels, meaning napping may be an early warning sign of diabetes.” Drumstick fingers, or clubbed nails, can be a sign of lung or heart disease. Three in 10 people with non-small-cell lung cancer (affecting 80-85% of lung cancer patients) may get finger clubbing.
Prof Sir Malcolm Green, founder of the British Lung Foundation, said: “The most likely cause is a lack of oxygen in the body.
“It’s sensible to discuss any changes in the shape of your nails with your doctor. They could be the first sign of lung cancer, though you would normally have noticed other symptoms such as a persistent cough, breathlessness, or coughing up blood.” Uncontrollable hiccups lasting hours or days are very rare, and are usually caused by irritation of the phrenic nerves that move your diaphragm up and down as you breathe.
“In a very small number of cases, this irritation may be due to a tumour, though other triggers include infection or medicines you’re taking,” says Prof Green.
“For hiccups that have lasted 12 hours or more, your doctor would normally arrange for you to have an X-ray to investigate the underlying cause.” A patchy geographic tongue could be due to smoking or a vitamin or iron deficiency, but it could also be the result of gastric tract damage due to coeliac disease, for example.
“One in 100 of us have this autoimmune condition causing an intolerance to gluten, but three in four remain undiagnosed,” says Prof David Sanders, professor of gastroenterology and a consultant gastroenterologist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital and the University of Sheffield. Both an underactive and overactive thyroid
Dry or red eyes and blurred vision can be an early sign of rheumatoid arthritis, often caused by the same inflammation that occurs in the joints when the immune system attacks itself.
This malfunction also uses up platelets – blood cells responsible for clotting. Rochelle Rosian, a rheumatologist at London’s Cleveland Clinic, said: “Your doctor can conduct a physical examination and do a complete blood count to determine whether you have low platelet levels due to the disease.” If you notice an unpleasant, rockhard sensation in your stomach or start to feel full faster than normal, you could be suffering from a lung disease known as COPD.
The lungs may have become hyperinflated, taking up more room in the body and leaving less space for the stomach.
And a lack of oxygen caused by breathing problems may make it more difficult for the body to digest food. Plus, those struggling to breathe because of COPD may do less exercise, which can leave them feeling more bloated.