7 Types of Pain You Should Never Ignore

Though it may be tricky to know if your pain is normal or if it is serious, certain types of pain should not be ignored.

Pain, pressure or a feeling of compression in your chest is a typical indication of a heart attack.  Heart attack pain expands to other parts of the body including the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, and back.  Women may ignore symptoms like sweating but women have more atypical symptoms that could be due to something else.

A severe headache worries many people who think they may have a brain tumor.  A lot of the brain lacks nerve endings, so most headaches will have other causes.  Though it is uncommon, a severe pain in the brain may indicate stroke or blood clot.  Be watchful for other symptoms including stiff neck, fever, confusion, weakness, or numbness as well as throwing up and fainting.

Lower back pain may be caused by regular wear and tear but in serious cases, it may be caused by infection, tumor, ruptured disc, and kidney stones.  Pain in the lower back may also be caused by heart disease, and it may also precede an aortic dissection which is a  serious problem in which the blood vessel to the middle and lower parts of your body bursts.

Pain in the abdominal region may be caused by a burst appendix.  In this case, you would need to go to the emergency room immediately.  Pain in the stomach may also be caused by pancreas issues, blocked bowels and ectopic pregnancy.

Calf pain may result when your leg is swollen, red and painful.  This could be caused by blood clot blocking a vein.  Deep vein thrombosis can move from your legs to your lungs and can be deadly.

Hand and foot pain may be caused by diabetes, a condition that can happen any place but is most common in hands, arms, feet, and legs.  The longer you have been afflicted with diabetes, the greater risk of suffering nerve damage.  Pain caused by peripheral neuropathy is often described as “pins and needles” or “shooting.”

Pain that cannot be identified may be caused by depression or anxiety.  Mood disorders may make it difficult to pin down the exact cause of pain.  Pain may be present in the joints, arms and legs, back, and head.

Article Provided By: Pain Scale