Aches and pains are a part of life. The simplest of things, like a paper cut or sleeping with your neck in the wrong position can causing pain. But what should you do when the hurt is something you can’t explain? Why do certain pains occur? Could the pain be a symptom of something worse? It doesn’t matter if you are experiencing sharp or dull pain, throbbing or aching, short spasms or long, persistent smarting—all these pains could be pointing towards something serious.
If you are experiencing any of the aches and pains listed below, seek aid from a medical professional as soon as you can.
Chest Pain
For many, chest pain could be run-of-the-mill indigestion, but with heart disease still one of the top killers of people throughout the world, you should take no chances. If the chest pain spreads and becomes more of a stabbing pain than a pressure, you might be experiencing angina, which happens when there is a blockage that is depriving your heart of oxygen.
Other symptoms to watch out for are subtle, especially in women. One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association of Internal Medicine found that out of 1,000 patients, 1 in every 5 women under the age of 55 years old had zero chest pain when having a heart attack. If you feel a sharp, stabbing pain between the shoulder blades, left shoulder, or arm that is accompanied with a shortness of breath, dull jaw pain, and nausea, you could be having a heart attack.
Stay calm and call 911 as soon as you can. Every second counts.
