HEALTH UPDATE

The symptoms you can’t ignore

Let’s be honest: the thought of going to the doctor doesn’t thrill anyone. As a result, many of us ignore symptoms altogether or try to ‘tough it out’ for as long as possible. But tuning into your body – and having the confidence to take action early – can save you unnecessary worry, medical expenses and bigger problems down the line. It might even save your life.

“You don’t want to be obsessive about it, but listening to your body is important, especially as you get older,” says GP Dr Jane Hunt.

“Educating women over 50 about staying alert to the symptoms of diseases, such as bowel, ovarian, breast and skin cancer, is key,” she says. “Dr Google can be useful, but it doesn’t have a filter. If you’re in tune with your symptoms, a doctor can help you to make sense of them in the context of your medical and family history.”

Here are five symptoms you should always heed.

A BLOATED TUMMY

SYMPTOM CHECK: “The duration of the pain and associated changes are the important factors here,” Jane explains. “If a bloated stomach is new to you and continues for more than four weeks, and you’re also experiencing discomfort in the belly, blood in your motions, or frequent issues with constipation or diarrhoea, seek help.” EXPERT OPINION: Stomach pain can be caused by many things, including IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), a parasite such as giardia and a bladder infection. However, it could be something more sinister, such as ovarian cancer (more common in women above 50). Further symptoms of ovarian cancer include needing to urinate often or urgently, difficulty eating and severe back pain.

THE NEXT STEP: Brush up on your family’s medical history and take a symptom diary to your doctor’s appointment. Depending on your diagnosis, the next steps may be a physical examination, a blood test or scans.

ACHING JOINTS SYMPTOM CHECK: It’s common for aches and pains to increase as you get older – even weeding the garden can aggravate your body. But if there is something more serious going on with your joints, such as arthritis, it can be hard to tell as it can come on quite gradually. So it’s vital to stay in tune with any pain, looking out for any worsening or discomfort in new places: your knees, lower back or hips.

EXPERT OPINION: Everyone’s joints are different, and aches can be dependent on previous sports-related injuries and wear and tear, Jane says.

“But if your pain isn’t settling with ibuprofen or paracetamol, or if you’re experiencing any swelling, or your joint’s range of movement is restricted, it’s worth following up with your GP to see what else might be going on.”

THE NEXT STEP: Your doctor can organise any necessary blood tests or X-rays, and help you to arrange specialist appointments to get to the root cause of your pain.

CHEST PAIN SYMPTOM CHECK: This could be anything from anxiety or lack of sleep to indigestion. Jane says one of the most common causes is reflux, which typically feels like a rising burning from your lower chest up towards the throat. EXPERT OPINION: If the pain in your chest doesn’t settle down, your doctor should look at other possibilities, including angina or heart disease.

“Red flags include the pain being associated with exerting yourself, sweating, feeling pain up your left arm, pressure or tightness in the central part of your chest or breathlessness,” Jane explains. THE NEXT STEP: If you’re suffering minor chest pain, see your GP. But if you have a range of these red-flag symptoms, seek immediate help and call an ambulance.

MIGRAINE SYMPTOM CHECK: The signs of a splitting migraine are impossible to miss – spots behind the eyes, nausea or vomiting, or throbbing head pain for four to 72 hours. Sadly, these symptoms affect about one in five women and one in 10 men.

EXPERT OPINION: The Ministry of Health says migraines usually first show up in the teenage or young adult years.

“If you’re getting headaches for the first time in your fifties and above, it’s a big red flag,” Jane warns. “The next step would be a doctor ruling out a stroke or brain tumour.”

THE NEXT STEP: If you’ve had migraines before, treat them as you normally would. But if the pain radically changes location, or if they become more severe or more frequent, get them checked out as soon as you can. First-time sufferers should aim to see their doctor that day. WETTING YOURSELF

SYMPTOM CHECK: One minute you’re laughing or sneezing, the next you have a sudden uncontrollable urge to urinate. It’s awkward but common – more than 600,000 Kiwis don’t have full bladder control.

EXPERT OPINION: A one-off incident might be down to a bladder infection, easily treated by a doctor. Other possibilities include pelvic-floor weakness or prolapse, where your pelvic organs bulge or sag down into the vagina. While uncommon, incontinence can be connected to neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis.

THE NEXT STEP: Talk to a doctor, who can suggest the right treatment for you, such as physiotherapy to strengthen your pelvic floor, lifestyle changes, improved toilet habits or even surgery.