The Independent – We spoke to Dr Lori Solomon, chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at New York Medical College, and Dr Estelle Williams, medical director for CityMD for the southern New Jersey region to get their thoughts on which symptoms should really not be ignored.
Going to the bathroom too frequently
Waking up in the middle of the night needing to pee is totally normal, Solomon tells The Independent. But if that’s something you’re doing two or three times per night – every night – that might be indicative of a more serious problem.
Over-frequent urination can be a symptom of diabetes. “When your sugar is high, one of the ways the body tries to get rid of the sugar, is to get rid of it through the urine,” Soloman says.
Pain in the night
Any pain that wakes you up during the night could be a problem. While pulled muscles, physical injuries, or other discomforts may hinder someone getting to sleep – they shouldn’t be disturbing you once you’re asleep, Solomon says.
“If you’re waking up in the middle of the night with a headache, you’ve got a problem… because usually we don’t wake up with headaches in the middle of the night,” she says.
Sudden headaches
Headaches are “super common,” and shouldn’t necessarily be considered worrisome, Solomon says.
However, if a headache is accompanied by other things such as vision changes, nausea tingling in the extremities, weakness – those may be a sign that something neurological is going on.
Williams cautions those who jump to label sudden, severe headaches as migraines. “It’s good that you get evaluated if you’re having a headache that’s unusual for you, if it’s very intense.”
Shortness of breath or fatigue
Another symptom that crops up fairly frequently that shouldn’t be ignored is sudden shortness of breath …
