A short look at some of the scariest causes of pain.
No matter what kind of pain you're feeling, getting relief is probably your first priority. But before you can get relief, you've got to figure out what's causing it. Think it's something painfully dangerous?
Read on to find out if your pain is caused by some of the most dangerous and deadly conditions known to man!
Leg Pain. Does your leg start hurting suddenly for no cause? Is the pain accompanied by a warm feeling in the affected leg? Does it cause your leg to swell and turn red? If so, and if the pain is primarily felt in one leg and not the other, it may be caused by a blood clot in your leg, a condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In some cases, DVT doesn't just affect the legs. It can occasionally result in a blood clot breaking out of the leg and making its way to the lungs, causing a condition called pulmonary embolism. With DVT, the pain typically grows worse when standing or walking, and treatment ranges from blood-thinning medication to surgical intervention.
Foot Pain. If you've not stubbed your toe and you're feeling pains in your feet, it may be brought on by one of your worst nightmares: diabetes. With diabetes, diabetic neuropathy often sets in. A condition in which the nerves in your body suffer damage, neuropathy may bring about a burning, tingling, or numb feeling in your feet. You may also have severe and sudden pains shoot through your foot. Strangely, the condition is also often accompanied by vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, urinary problems, and constipation. Additionally, diabetic neuropathy can affect other extremities, such as the hands.
Headaches. As any migraine sufferer can tell you, all headaches are not created equal. Some of them are signs of something much more dangerous than just a headache or a little bit of stress. A headache that brings about confusion, vision problems, and eyelid drooping may be reason to get to the nearest emergency department - especially if it's the worst headache you've ever experienced. Because it may not be a run-of-the-mill headache. It may be brought about by a blood vessel rupturing and bleeding in your brain.
Chest Pain. In case you've not heard, feelings of tightness, pain, fullness, pressure, or squeezing in the chest may be an indicator that you're suffering a heart attack. Other symptoms to look out for include feeling lightheaded and fatigued, vomiting, sweating, and experiencing pain in other areas of the body. Even if it's not a heart attack, chest pain may indicate lung disease, panic attacks, or gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD) - none of which are pleasant to live with.
Stomach Pain. Doubling over in pain on a regular basis isn't normal. Unless you get food poisoning on a regular basis or have excessive gas, your stomach pain may indicate something more serious. From gall bladder disease and stomach ulcers to endometriosis and appendicitis, severe stomach pains can be a sign of all sorts of undesired conditions. Getting the pain checked out early on and getting appropriate treatment may be the only thing that prevents your condition from growing worse.
More Likely Causes
Don't think your pain is caused by a blood clot or heart disease? You're probably right. However, you still need to figure out what is causing it in order to get relief.
Some of the more common (and less frightening) causes of pain include the following:
- stress
- improperly fitting clothing (shoes, pants, neckties, etc.)
- rotten or improperly cooked food
- injury
- muscle strains and sprains
