What to look for Blurred vision when you are looking at distant objects. Blurred vision when you are looking at close objects. Vertical or horizontal lines that appear blurry. Flashing-lights or spots in your eyes. problems deciphering between red and green in dim light. Difficulty distinguishing objects in dim light. (Also see Cataracts, Eye Problems, Glaucoma). [...]
This is an unappealing yet harmless skin disorder characterised by white patches of skin that have seemingly lost their ability to produce the normal colour of the skin. What to look for White patches of skin usually on exposed areas of the body- can occur symmetrically. Hair may go grey in patches. Usually this disorder [...]
This is the time when teeth break through the surface of the gums in an infant. What to look for crying more than usual. dribbling increases chewing on fingers and rubbing the mouth. swollen and red gums. loose bowel movements – but should not be diarrhoea pulling on ears refusal to suck on breast or [...]
What to look for painful tenderness and/or stiffness at a joint. in some cases, numbness or tingling. occasionally, mild swelling at the joint. Tendonitis is an inflammation in or around tendons, bands of strong fibrous tissue that holds muscle to bone. Tendons are strong and can usually take whatever we do to them but occasionally [...]
What to look for… The earliest warning signs of testicular cancer usually include: a change in their size or shape. swelling or thickening of the testicles. a firm, smooth, painless, slow-growing lump in a testicle. a feeling of testicular heaviness. Other symptoms of testicular cancer may include: urinary problems. an abdominal mass or abdominal pain. [...]
This is a condition caused by bacteria usually found in the soil. What to look for If you have a cut or wound and any of these things occur – call your doctor stiffness of the neck, jaw – lock jaw, and other muscles uncontrollable spasms of the jaw and neck muscles. painful, involuntary contraction [...]
What to look for… As with most cancers, in the beginning, throat cancer does not cause any symptoms. The early warning signs are similar to the symptoms of a chest cold. Symptoms caused by a tumour in the upper or lower throat may include: nagging cough. hoarseness. persistent sore throat. difficulty swallowing. traces of blood [...]
The thyroid gland is situated in the neck and can be seen or felt as the Adam’s apple What to look for Hyperthyroidism: weight loss despite increased appetite. increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, and increased nervousness, with excessive perspiration. more frequent bowel movements, sometimes with diarrhoea. muscle weakness, trembling hands. development of a goitre. Hypothyroidism: [...]
These are involuntary contractions of a muscle or muscles. What to look for a brief, flicking sensation confined to a small part of the body, such as the eyelid; usually indicative of a harmless involuntary muscle contraction. a repetitive, uncontrollable, purposeless contraction of an individual muscle or group of muscles, usually in the face, arms, [...]
Tinnitus a sensation of ringing in the ears or the head. What to look for a noise in the ears, such as ringing. It may come and go or be continuous. hearing loss occasionally. With tinnitus, the noise heard can be so soft that the person can hear it only when trying to sleep or [...]