When we talk about health, we often mention symptoms and signs. Here’s a straightforward explanation:

• Symptoms are what you feel, like pain, dizziness, or nausea. Only you can describe these sensations because they are personal experiences.
• Signs are what you can see, feel, hear or smell or others, like a doctor, can observe, such as a high temperature, rash, or abnormal heart rate. Signs can usually be measured or seen.

Some symptoms and signs can be mild and go away on their own, while others might signal a serious condition that needs a doctor’s attention. Knowing when to seek medical help can prevent unnecessary worry and, in some cases, even save lives.

Symptoms and Signs That Need a Doctor's Attention

Certain symptoms or signs might not be urgent but still require a doctor to check them out. Here are some examples:

1. Persistent or Unexplained Weight Loss: Losing weight without trying could signal an issue like a thyroid problem, diabetes, or even cancer. It’s worth a doctor’s attention.
2. Fever Lasting More than a Few Days: A fever that doesn’t go away, feeling hot and cold, mild to moderate fever or associated with chills and rigours could mean you have an infection that needs medical treatment, like a bacterial infection that might require antibiotics. Fever that occurs after returning from holiday.
3. Breathing Difficulties: Feeling short of breath, especially if it’s new or getting worse, could point to lung or heart issues. While it may not always be an emergency, it does need checking.
4. Pain in the Chest: Chest pain isn’t always a heart problem—it could be indigestion or muscle strain. But it’s important to see a doctor if it keeps coming back or feels severe, just to be safe.
5. Severe Headache: A sudden, intense headache might be a sign of something serious, like a brain issue. Regular headaches may just be migraines or tension headaches, but it’s good to have them checked if they’re severe.
6. Persistent Fatigue: Always feeling tired, even after resting, can mean something is off, like anemia, thyroid problems, or a chronic illness.

Emergencies: When to Go Straight to the Hospital

Some symptoms or signs mean it’s time to go to the hospital right away. These are situations where family doctors may not have the equipment or tests to diagnose the issue quickly. Here are some examples of emergencies:

1. Chest Pain with Sweating, Pain or cramps in left arm, Nausea, or Shortness of Breath: These are signs of a potential heart attack. It’s better to get to the hospital quickly if you experience any of these.
2. Sudden Weakness or Numbness in the Face, Arm, or Leg, Especially on One Side of the Body: These could be signs of a stroke. Time is crucial in stroke treatment, so getting to the hospital immediately is essential.
3. Severe Abdominal Pain: If you have intense stomach pain that doesn’t go away, it might be something serious like appendicitis, a gallbladder infection, or a blocked intestine. You need urgent care and possibly surgery.
4. Sudden Vision Loss or Severe Eye Pain: This can signal a serious eye condition like glaucoma or retinal detachment. The sooner it’s treated, the better the chances of saving your sight.
5. Bleeding That Won’t Stop: A cut that won’t stop bleeding or a sudden, large amount of blood (for instance, in vomit or stool) needs urgent medical care to prevent blood loss.
6. High Fever with Stiff Neck and Sensitivity to Light: This combination can mean meningitis, an infection around the brain that needs quick treatment to prevent severe complications.
7. Confusion, Seizures, or Loss of Consciousness: Any sudden mental change, seizure, or blackout should be treated as an emergency, as it could be a sign of something like a brain injury, infection, or stroke.
8. Severe Allergic Reaction (Anaphylaxis): If you have swelling in your face or throat, difficulty breathing, or a rash after exposure to something you’re allergic to (like peanuts or a bee sting), it’s an emergency. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening, so it’s important to get to the hospital right away.

Tests and Scans Needed in Emergencies

In these emergencies, doctors at the hospital may need to do tests or scans like:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood tests for heart attacks.
• CT scans or MRIs for stroke symptoms or severe headaches.
• Ultrasound or CT scans for abdominal pain to check for issues like appendicitis or gallbladder problems.
• Blood tests and possibly a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) if meningitis is suspected.

These tools help doctors find out what’s wrong quickly so they can start the right treatment.

Key Takeaway

When you notice a symptom, don’t ignore it, but don’t panic either. Ask yourself if it’s something new, severe, or unusual. If it’s a minor issue, you can usually wait and see if it gets better on its own. But if it’s on the list of symptoms that need a doctor’s attention or if it’s an emergency sign, it’s time to act.

Knowing when to seek help and when to stay calm can make a big difference for your health.

If you think your symptom or sign is serious, and beleive it is serious, 

PLEASE SPEAK OR CONSULT A DOCTOR. I say this because I have seen and managed adults and children rushing to A&E, consulted a nurse or a junior doctor who followed the protocol reassured and adviced to go home and prescribed some pain killer or antibiotics. This "False Reassurece" can delay the diagnosis and getting the right treatment and so illness got worse and were admitted in intensive care.