5 Important Pains Not To Ignore

Pain is your body’s warning system that something’s not going right inside. Most of us experience aches and pains at some point or another. There are the pains we become familiar with and learn that they’re nothing to stress about, like growing pains, stubbing a toe, or hitting your ‘funny bone’. Then there are pains we’ve never felt before which can invoke a state of sheer panic. It’s imperative to be aware of your body’s history and risk factors when working out the source of pain – most often the pain we’re feeling is a result of poor posture, unusual physical activity, sleeping uncomfortably or from a common cold or flu.

‘Cyberchondria’ is a real thing, so before you get online to Google your symptoms and misdiagnose yourself with a rare and terminal illness, here’s a list of considerations to help you narrow the problem down.

This is a sharp pain that prevents you from moving a body part or stops you from moving altogether. Joint range of motion refers to both the distance and direction in which your joints can move. There are established ranges that are considered normal for various joints in the body. If you find this motion and range hindered, it could be from dislocation, fractures or joint swelling. Either way, it’s best to seek professional help.

If you’ve experienced a pain and taken steps to care for it but the pain isn’t subsiding, it’s wise to investigate and seek help from a professional. Most often we can manage pain with common household remedies and a little tender loving care, but it’s not a good sign if you’ve done everything you can to carefully manage your pain and none of it helps, or your pain only gets worse. This can often be a pain that you get used to – learning to live with pain isn’t a good option.

This is when the pain you’re feeling is so intense it causes nausea and vomiting. For example, if you still have your appendix, pay close attention to pain in your middle.

An appendix in trouble will cause incredible pain in the lower right side of your abdomen and can be so severe it will cause you to throw up. If you’re reeling in pain, get help right away.

Bruises are very common and can occur without you even noticing but in some instances, a bruise is a sign that you need medical assistance. If bruising occurs after taking blood thinners, if there’s a lot of swelling in the bruised area or if the bruise hasn’t healed after four weeks, it’s a good idea to check in with a specialist.

A part of your body is swollen, sensitive to touch and even feels warm. Swelling is typically the result of inflammation or a buildup of fluid. It can occur internally or externally on your outer skin (from insect bites, for example). Swelling will also look different depending on the affected body part. Swelling is your body’s way of creating space around an affected area in order for it to heal –this doesn’t mean you should always ignore it though. If you have a tumour, your swollen body part might be hard.

If you start vomiting or develop a fever, or if your swelling hasn’t gone down after a day, then you should definitely consider going to a health practitioner.

Many women experience breast pain at some stage in their lives. This doesn’t always indicate cancer, however. Breast pain can be linked to menstrual cycles, blockages or cysts in milk ducts, fatty acid imbalances and even breast size. If your breasts are consistently sore, though, you need to get them checked out.

Evening Primrose is known to assist with fatty acid imbalance and Vitamin E helps with breast pain associated with menstruation.

It’s important to understand that everyone experiences pain differently and there are so many different causes of pain. If you’re in touch with your body you will easily pick up when a pain is unusual and needs close attention. It’s probably not a good idea to get a diagnosis online so if you’re unsure, get help and advice from your doctor.