Symptoms You Should Never Ignore – Joints 17-20

17/20 Joint Popping or Clicking

Don’t Worry:

That snap, crackle or pop you hear when you stand up, walk down stairs or stretch is called crepitus, and it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re decrepit. It’s either caused by gas bubbles forming in the fluid that surrounds and lubricates the joints, or the sound of a tightly strung tendon snapping as it slides over a bony surface. Either way, if the noise is painless, it’s nothing to worry about (and becomes more common as we age, especially in the knees).

Do Worry:

If the cracking hurts or the noise changes to a crunching sound, see your doctor—as arthritis progresses, the breakdown of cartilage can lead to bones grinding against one another. Your doctor will first recommend exercise therapies to support and stabilize the joint, and if necessary prescribe medications for pain and inflammation relief.

I pop my knuckles & thumb all the time.. my knees like to pop on their own and occasionally my should & elbow pop . Those can get painful if it pops while moving in a certain position.. If I’m paying attention I can realize it’s about to go and switch to a more comfortable position for it to pop.

18 / 20 Swollen Knee

Don’t Worry:

Prepatellar bursitis, which most commonly affects gardeners or anyone whose occupation involves a lot of kneeling, is caused by inflammation in the bursa, or fluid pouch, on the front of your kneecap. If you notice one knee is noticeably more swollen than the other, tender to the touch and painful to extend, try treating it with rest, ice and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication like ibuprofen.

Do Worry:

If the symptom doesn’t abate, if the knee feels warm or if more than one joint is swollen, have your doctor check for arthritis.

I’ve has issues with my knees since I was a child. My issue is from the muscles not being as strong and thus the patella (kneecap) is not positioned properly. Over the years it has been shifted, rotated & tilted. Right now, it’s the tilted that’s causing the problem & am currently seeing a physiotherapist for it Doing exercises to build up muscles & getting treatments for the inflammation. He thinks there might be arthritis in there too.

19 / 20 Enlarged, Sore Big Toe

Don’t Worry:

Your body’s underappreciated workhorse is the last part of your foot to push off the ground with every stride, and bears 40 to 60 per cent of the force load. You may not think about your big toe much, but when something goes wrong with it, you’ll wince with every step. Ingrown toenails are a common cause, accounting for one in five foot complaints to family doctors. A mild case can be treated by soaking the toe and applying antibiotic cream.

Do Worry:

A lesser-known form of osteoarthritis—hallux rigidus—affects 2.5 per cent of people over 50, and causes inflammation, swelling and aching in the joint connecting your big toe to your foot. Over time, the bone overgrowth caused by the condition can make it almost impossible to bend your big toe, and lead to protruding bone spurs.

The resulting joint degeneration can’t be reversed, but symptoms can be managed with NSAID medications, custom-made orthotic insoles, physiotherapy, specialized shoes or even joint replacement surgery.

You should also ask your doctor to check for gout, a rare form of arthritis caused by excess uric acid crystals in the blood.

Last time I had problems with my big toe, I possibly may have broken it. The cause was repeatedly kicking roots on a 3K hike with my Cubs. I had a bruise show up two days later, big and purple. It healed up on its own

20 / 20 Jaw Pain

Don’t Worry:

Aching in your jaw, pain while chewing, and a locking or popping sensation when you open your mouth wide can be signs of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, which can dislocate your jaw joint and inflame the muscles and ligaments that control its movement. Bruxism, or grinding your teeth, is a common cause, and many people aren’t aware that they clench or grind their teeth at night. “Waking up with a headache is a telltale sign of bruxism,” says Frank. “A dentist can prescribe a splint that covers the surface of your teeth, so you’re punishing the plastic instead of wearing down your tooth surface.”

Do Worry:

More rarely, jaw pain on one side can result from a cyst or a tumour, which your dentist can see on an X-ray. If the pain is only on the left side and radiates up your neck to your jaw, go to the ER right away—it could be an uncommon sign of a heart attack.

I have both TMJ & Bruxism, so I have a night guard I wear most nights.

Based on an article in Reader’s Digest by Anna-Kaisa Walker

I’m Fine

“I’m fine” is the biggest crock of shit going on out there.

If I ever say I’m fine, call me on it because I am lying. Lying blatently through my teeth.

I’m fine can mean so many things:

• I don’t want to talk about it.
• I’m trying to ignore it.
• I’m not able to deal with people today, and unfortunately (don’t take it to heart) that includes you.
• I’m in agony & don’t want to inflict my pain on others.
• Brain is mush. Thanks to my meds! & Thanks to fibro fog
• I honestly don’t know the answer
• My mental health is screwed up not the physical.
• My mental health is screwed up in addition to the physical.
• I’m getting pain from multiple directions and can’t focus

It’s most likely the first one or last two, but can be anyone of these. If I make emphasis of “I’m fine” please don’t push it.

My Absence

I know I’ve been gone for a month and a half. I’ve been dealing with mental health issues which take priority, so my apologies.

So I’m pursuant to that, here is my first original post back.. Appropriately on Mental Health..

Symptoms You Should Never Ignore – Digestive Systems 14-16

14/20 Chronic Bloating

Don’t Worry:

If you feel like a hot air balloon float after every meal, you’re in good company—nearly 40 per cent of the population struggles with gas and bloating. A food journal may help pinpoint specific dietary triggers, such as broccoli, beans or fruit. It’s important to note, though, that it’s normal for bellies to change shape over the course of the day, and passing gas (from the northern or southern route) up to 20 times daily is just part of the way your digestive system efficiently turns food into fuel.

Do Worry:

If your bloating never goes away or is accompanied by other symptoms such as severe cramps, changes in bowel habits, blood in your stool, nausea, decreased appetite or unintentional weight loss, see your doctor—diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, Celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, colon cancer and other conditions can require a more thorough workup.

15 / 20 Change in Your Stool

Don’t Worry:

When it comes to bowel output, what’s “regular” for each person varies widely—anything from twice a week to three times a day is in the range of normal, as is a range of consistencies. A change in diet, medications such as antibiotics, stress or dehydration can temporarily knock your routine out of whack, but things usually resolve within a few days.

Do Worry:

“Any persistent change in your pattern lasting more than a month is a sign to call to your doctor,” says Tran. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—characterized by diarrhea, constipation or both, along with cramps that are relieved by pooping—affects up to 18 per cent of Canadian adults, and is thought to be linked to an imbalance in the relationship between the brain and the gut. Antidepressant medications have shown some promise as treatment. But your doctor will also want to rule out thyroid issues, bacterial or parasitic infections, and other more serious gut-related diseases.

16 / 20 Weird Smelling Pee

Don’t Worry:

Certain foods, notoriously asparagus, can give your urine a distinctly funky tang. But stinky pee can have a bouquet of other possible causes, including those new vitamins or medications you’ve been taking. B1 is known for giving urine a distinctly fishy odour, while sulfonamide antibiotics can impart a rotten-egg smell. An ammonia smell in your urine could mean you’re dehydrated and need to drink more water during the day—or, if attended with burning, fever or chills, might be an early sign of a urinary tract infection.

Do Worry:

Poorly controlled diabetes can make urine smell fruity from the ketones. If you’re diabetic and also experiencing nausea, confusion or excessive thirst, get medical attention immediately—you may be suffering from ketone acidosis, a potentially life-threatening condition.

Based on an article in Reader’s Digest byAnna-Kaisa Walker

Women’s Pain

Why Is Women’s Pain So Often Dismissed?

Health care providers can be quick to conclude that women’s pain isn’t so bad or is “all in their head”—an attitude that can lead to prolonged suffering and can put women’s health at serious risk.

Michelle

Michelle was 11 years old when the pain began. That’s when she first got her period, with cramps so excruciating they made her vomit. “We went to see my family doctor at the time and she dismissed it, saying, ‘There’s nothing wrong with you. Everybody gets cramps. Just take Advil.’” But the pain got worse when Luciani was a teen. The same doctor put her on birth control, which dulled the intensity slightly. Nevertheless, she came to expect that once a month, she’d feel a twisting in her pelvis and experience stabbing cramps that jolted through her like electrical shocks. Her doctor continued to tell her that cramps were normal.

After high school, Michelle moved from Toronto to Vancouver to study media arts. One day, she experienced a new kind of pain in her abdomen. “It went from a five to a 20 very fast,” she recalls. She hurried to the hospital, where staff found fluid in her abdomen, caused by a ruptured ovarian cyst. Once again, Michelle was told, “There’s nothing to worry about—it’s normal.” The physician gave her morphine and sent her home. But throughout the course of the year, more cysts ruptured, and each time, Michelle faced the same message in the emergency room: “You just have to get through it.”

When she was 25, Michelle found a gynecologist who told her the symptoms sounded like endometriosis, which occurs when the uterine lining grows in other areas of the pelvis, where it doesn’t belong. He booked her in for exploratory surgery to look for signs of the painful chronic condition, but in the end, he didn’t find anything wrong.

Michelle was filled with hopelessness. She’d been sure she had endometriosis, but a doctor was telling her that wasn’t true. In too much agony to work, she moved back to Toronto, where her family lived. She searched for a new doctor who could help her, but after reading the report from her surgery, each health practitioner said the same thing: since the procedure hadn’t led to a diagnosis, nothing was wrong with her. She was told the pain was in her head and was offered antidepressants but never a solution for the pain. “I just felt crazy at that point,” she recalls.

Finally, at age 26, after having consulted with five doctors since her initial surgery, Michelle found one in Atlanta, Georgia who was willing to repeat the procedure. She paid nearly CAD $40,000, and this time, the results were conclusive: she had endometriosis. Three years later, she would also be diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that affects women’s hormone levels and can result in cysts in the ovaries.

She’s Not The Only

Michelle isn’t the only woman to spend years having her pain dismissed, or to be forced to advocate for herself with doctor after doctor simply to secure a diagnosis. A 2006 study published in the British Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology interviewed women with chronic pelvic pain and concluded that “most felt that their pain and suffering had not been legitimized by at least one doctor that they had seen.”

Over the past few decades, researchers have found that women’s pain is often taken less seriously than men’s and, as a result, it frequently goes untreated or undertreated in Western medicine. There is no lab test to evalu­ate pain, so it’s up to a patient to describe their experience—and up to their doctor to believe them. But, as Luciani learned, health care providers can be quick to conclude that a woman’s pain isn’t so bad or is “all in her head”—an attitude that can lead to prolonged suffering and can put women’s health at serious risk.

Based from : https://www.readersdigest.ca/health/conditions/womens-pain-undiagnosed/

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Personally, I’ve has to deal with this. Like Michelle, I started having menstrual cramps as soon as I started my period. It was long& heavy. GP put me on birth control pills at the time. My cycle regulated, was a little less heavy, but cramps got really bad some days, I’d be curled up in a ballin the nurse’s office at school or if they kicked in at college, curled up in the women’s lounge couch. Eventually my cramps became almost constant. Referred to Gyn who referred me to GI Diagnosis, IBS. IBS controlled, referred back to Gyn. He told me “I don’t think it is Endometriosis, but if you insist, I will do the surgery.” I insisted & guess who was right! Because she didn’t think she’d need all the tools, she was missing some from the first surgery. That resulted in a full laparotomy 6 months later with a full inverse T incision and 12 weeks unable to work, recovering. 12 years from onset to initial diagnosis.

I dont even want to get into my fibro diagnosis . We believe that diagnosis took 13 years. With another 15 to get it ‘controlled‘

Based on an article in reader’s digest. The original can be found Here

Symptoms You Should Never Ignore – Misc

11/20 Lump Near Your Neck

Don’t Worry:
Spread out in a network, your lymph nodes are bean-shaped glands that play an important role in your immune system. When bacteria, viruses or other foreign substances invade your body, your lymph nodes can feel swollen and hard with all the white blood cells piling in to fight off the assault. Once you’re done battling whatever it was, they will go back to normal.

Do Worry:
If you feel the lump in the hollow above either collarbone—where your supraclavicular lymph nodes are—these can be important sentinels for disease in your abdomen. If it happens on your left side specifically, it’s called Troisier’s sign, and it’s considered an indication of cancer in the stomach or other organs, even if you have no other symptoms. See your doctor as soon as possible.

12 / 20 Cold Hands

Don’t Worry:
Genetics can be the reason you often have cold hands, even in summer—research shows it runs in families. The elderly, who tend to have slower circulation, as well as very thin people without much insulation, can also feel more sensitive to cold, especially in the extremities. Avoiding nicotine and caffeine, which restrict blood vessels, and dressing in layers to keep your core temperature up can help.

Do Worry:
Raynaud’s phenomenon, which affects 10 per cent of the population, is a vascular abnormality characterized by attacks of cold, pain, tingling or burning, and white or bluish colour in the fingers. It can be managed with medication, but in some cases, Raynaud’s can be a sign of an autoimmune disease called scleroderma.

Anemia, caused by low iron levels, can also make your hands and feet feel cold, and is also linked to fatigue, dizziness and chest pains. Iron supplements can help restore your hemoglobin levels.

13 / 20 White Marks on Your Nails

Don’t Worry:
Nails can reveal some important things about your health. Those mysterious dots or lines on your fingernails—called leukonychia—are usually caused by bumping or pinching the skin under your cuticle where your nails start to grow. They’re usually harmless and take six to nine months to grow out completely. If a spot looks yellowish and you can see thickening of the nail, that could indicate a fungal infection that requires a topical prescription.

Do Worry:
If the bands are vertical and dark-coloured, see your doctor as soon as possible. “In a fair-skinned person, these can indicate subungual melanoma, a rare form of skin cancer under the nail,” says Tran. Darker-skinned people do get bands like this normally as they age, but if you notice new stripes or a change in their thickness, it warrants further investigation for melanoma

Based on an article in Reader’s Digest byAnna-Kaisa Walker

Allodynia

Allodynia – That’s the technical term for feeling your skin 24/7. My skin is so sensitive that a gentle breeze can trigger a pain response on a bad day. Pants are torture, but skirts are worse. I hate leggings because they make me constantly aware of my skin. Which I assure you is not nearly as much fun as it sounds.

A quick anatomy lesson for the integumentary system (hair, nails, skin and sweat glands) your skin is by far the largest organ you have. It’s not just a meat sack holding your body together. There are billions of nerve receptors in your skin. They are designed to bypass the rational mind and are hardwired into your subconscious or reflexive mind. This is why you move your hand away from the flame before you even realize you’re burning. There are about 2 billion or so nerve endings in the outermost layer of skin. More in the under layers, the hair, sweat glands etc. They are there to alert us to potential danger and to alert the brain that we have been damaged.

You have different nerve receptors for different things. Some are ticklish. Some detect change in Temperature. Some itch. And some say OUCH!

Now imagine if something happened and suddenly all of the receptors start telling your brain OUCH. Meaning that breeze causes pain, the brush of your hair across your skin causes pain, warmth/cold causes pain. Sound vibrations caues pain. Clearly this is a problem with the wiring. But they don’t know what it’s caused by.

When my skin hurts I don’t want delicate gentle touch, I want specific, firm and with intention touch. I want clear and obvious sensation (think stingy and thuddy rather than feathery or ticklish)

Author – Unknown.

– – –

I do get this myself. Mine is thankfully on & off . Like the OP, I prefer firm contact, but I also need to know it’s coming. It’s easier to just have no contact at all tbh.

It’s weird. If I’m sensitive with this, a hair that falls out of my head & lazily makes its way down my back or my arm can be excruciating at worst, mildly painful at best.

I even have a “Don’t Touch Koolaid” Necker for Cubs. Meaning they know they can not touch me when I’m wearing it. They don’t understand why – just that it hurts me alot if they do on those days. Fortunately, I don’t have to wear it often

I’m Sick

So last week was Cub Camp. When I got home, I brought in my personal gear, showered & crashed out for 4 hours. I was exhausted – literally done. I couldn’t have done anything else.

Then due to one of my Cubs, I’ve been down with a nasty bug ever since. The worst is the cough.. that & the boredom of nothing to do. I’ve got no new books to read & I’m up to date on my shows.

I hate being sick I feel so useless. Can barely function. It’s bad enough with the fibro & everything else, but when I’m sick it’s so much worse. 😢

Five Senses

A MINDFULNESS EXERCISE

Mindfulness is described as a mental state achieved by focusing on the present moment. The idea is to calmly be aware of & accept one’s feelings, thoughts, and/or bodily sensations. This therapeutic technique can help in so many ways including with pain, sleep, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, self-control, concentration & mental clarity, emotional intelligence and the ability to relate to others & one’s self with kindness, acceptance and compassion.

Use this exercise to quickly ground yourself in the present when you only have a moment. The goal is to notice something that you are currently experiencing through each of your senses. You start to focus on yourself and everything around you where & when you currently are.

This mindfulness exercise is good for calming one’s self down from anxiety or exertion.

What are 5 things you can see?

Look around you and notice 5 things you hadn’t noticed before. Maybe a pattern on a wall, light reflecting from a surface, or a knick-knack in the corner of a room.

What are 4 things you can feel?

Maybe you can feel the pressure of your feet on the floor, your shirt resting on your shoulders, or the temperature on your skin. Pick up an object and notice its texture.

What are 3 things you can hear?

Notice all the background sounds you had been filtering out, such as an air-conditioning, birds chirping, or cars on a distant street.

What are 2 things you can smell?

Maybe you can smell flowers, coffee, or freshly cut grass. It doesn’t have to be a nice smell either: maybe there’s an overflowing trash can or sewer.

What is 1 thing you can taste?

Pop a piece of gum in your mouth, sip a drink, eat a snack if you have one, or simply notice how your mouth tastes. “Taste” the air to see how it feels on your tongue.

The numbers for each sense are only a guideline. Feel free to do more or less of each. Also, try this exercise while doing an activity like washing dishes, listening to music, or going for a walk.

© 2015 Therapist Aid LLC

Provided by TherapistAid.com

Symptoms You Should Never Ignore – Mouth

8/20: White Stuff on Your Tongue

Don’t Worry:

An icky-looking white coating on your tongue is most likely a sign of poor oral hygiene—it’s actually a mixture of bacteria, food debris and dead skin cells trapped between the little bumps on the tongue. “The simple solution is to brush your tongue daily or use a tongue scraper,” says Dr. Charles Frank, a dentist in Windsor, Ont. Also, an overgrowth of yeast, called candidiasis or thrush, can happen when antibiotics, chemotherapy or diabetes kill off the healthy bacteria in your mouth—and can be treated with antifungal medication.

I get this on & off.. I know it’s not yeast/thrust for me . Just gotta brush off my tongue for a few days.. literally just cleared this up – had been eating a ton of sweets recently.

Do Worry:

Leukoplakia, characterized by thick white patches that can’t be scraped off, might be an early sign of oral cancer. Frank also suggests seeing your dentist if any unusual spot sticks around for more than a couple of weeks.

9/20 Metallic Taste in your Mouth.

Don’t Worry:

That rusty flavour is called dysgeusia, and it could be caused by taking lithium, certain blood pressure medications, cancer drugs or iron supplements. It’s not serious, but it can be unpleasant. If switching medications isn’t an option, over-the-counter mouthwash or gum can mask the taste.

This can happen if you have high iron & bleeding gums (see next point). I also attest to the medication thing. Different medications can result in yuck aftertaste, including metallic. I’ve had it happen with antibiotics and sleep medications – Gross, but harmless.

Do Worry:

According to Dr. Charles Frank, a mild electrical current can occur if you’ve had fillings, crowns or implants done with more than one type of metal. Called oral galvanism, it’s not dangerous—but if it doesn’t go away it could be costly, as you’ll need to have your fillings changed.Find out the signs of disease your teeth can reveal.

10/20: Bleeding Gums

Don’t Worry:

At some point in their lives, seven out of 10 Canadians will have gingivitis, which results from the buildup of plaque and tartar above the gumline. Even in mild cases it can cause occasional bleeding while brushing. Meticulous brushing—for two minutes twice a day—plus daily flossing and regular dental cleaning appointments can keep it at bay. (Make sure you’re avoiding these common flossing mistakes.)

Do Worry:

If you don’t take care of gingivitis, it turns into periodontitis, or gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss.

Based on an article in Reader’s Digest byAnna-Kaisa Walker