Our bodies are constantly telling us things, but if we don’t know how it sends messages, we will miss them. If something is wrong with your health, your body will try to show you in many ways: Appearance, energy, pain, fatigue, and more. Here are a few ways your body might be trying to tell you that something is not right. Once you know what they are, you can pay attention and know when to see a doctor.
Ways Your Body Is Telling You Something Is Wrong With Your Health
It would be great if our body could just send us a text message telling us when something is wrong. Unfortunately, the only method of communication is by using visual and physical signs. These are some ways that your body might be telling you that there is something wrong with your health.
1. Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is also known as Willis-Ekbom disease. It is defined as the uncontrollable need to move your legs. It is usually most prevalent in the evening or at night when you are trying to sleep. As you can imagine, this affects your ability to sleep properly at night, leading to being over-tired and eventually unable to properly function throughout your day. (1)
There are some lifestyle changes that can be made to prevent it. Some reasons for RLS are (1):
- Low iron and iron deficiency anemia
- Certain medications
- Overuse of alcohol or caffeine
- The last trimester of pregnancy
Making changes, such as improving your iron levels, reducing alcohol and/or caffeine intake, and talking to your doctor about your medications. There are also some medications that can help with RLS if needed. (1)
2. The Sensation of Insects Running Over Your Body
This feeling is not just in your mind, it is known as Morgellons Disease. It causes the feeling of bugs crawling, biting, and stinging both on and underneath the skin. It is a rare disorder characterized by fibers underneath, embedded in, and coming out from both unbroken skin and slow-healing sores and wounds. (2)
It can take many years to get diagnosed because it is so rare that doctors are not overly familiar with it. If you experience these symptoms, you can go talk to a doctor about Morgellons to hopefully figure out whether or not this is what you have. (2)
3. Craving and Chewing Ice
Also known as pagophagia, it is associated with iron deficiency both without and without anemia. Currently, doctors are unsure why this correlation exists. Another phenomenon, known as pica, is the desire to chew non-food items, such as ice, clay, soil, or paper. (3) This is associated with specific nutritional deficiencies, but also emotional/psychological problems such as (3):
- OCD
- Developmental disorders
- Stress problems
4. Salt Cravings
Most of the time, when you are craving salty foods, it doesn’t actually have anything with health problems and is just because you are craving chips, fries, or some other type of junk food. Strange severe salt cravings, however, like putting salt in your coffee, could be a sign of something else. Addison’s Disease is a serious condition associated with strange salt cravings. Keep in mind; this isn’t about having the odd salt craving here or there; it’s a severe chronic craving. This is a condition when the adrenal glands don’t make enough hormones. These hormones affect the stress response and blood pressure, causing salt cravings. (4)
Other symptoms of Addison’s Disease include (4):
- Weakness
- long-term fatigue
- low appetite or unplanned weight loss
- stomach pain
- nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- dizziness or fainting due to low blood pressure
- low blood sugar, called hypoglycemia
- depression or irritability
- Headache
- irregular or absent menstrual periods
There are many reasons why someone may develop Addison’s, but regardless, the condition requires medical attention. (4)
Read: 6 Silent Symptoms Of Colon Cancer to Never Ignore
5. Gray Rings Around Your Eyes
This is a cloudy ring that surrounds your iris, the colored part of your eye. It is known as a “cholesterol ring.” It does not affect your vision but it could mean something is wrong with your health and is associated with high cholesterol, especially in older people. It is important to visit your doctor to have your cholesterol checked and make sure that you take appropriate steps to lower your levels. High cholesterol can lead to many dangerous health conditions. (5)
6. Bloodshot Eyes
We all get bloodshot eyes every once in a while; whether it’s because we haven’t gotten enough sleep or because we’ve overindulged on a night out, it happens. However, bloodshot eyes all the time or outside of these situations are possibly a sign of Conjunctivitis. This condition causes the thin layer of tissue covering the eye (the conjunctiva) to become red and inflamed. (6)
Some causes could be (6):
- A bacterial infection
- An allergic reaction
- An irritant in the eye
Treatment usually isn’t required and it will clear up within a few weeks. If it doesn’t, however, then you should go see your doctor to ensure there isn’t something else going wrong. (6)
7. Excessive Sweating
We all sweat; however, sweating when it isn’t hot, or you aren’t exercising could mean that you have what’s called hyperhidrosis. In some cases, you may sweat so much that it soaks through your clothes and drips off of your hands. Treatment usually starts with prescription antiperspirants; however, some medications can be taken if they don’t work. (7) Night sweats can also be a cause for concern. Seek consultation from your doctor if you are experiencing these.
8. Black Lines On Your Fingernails
Sometimes you may bruise underneath your fingernail if you hit your hand or toe on something. However, a straight dark line down the nail is actually a lesser-known symptom of melanoma. (8) This is also a symptom of a condition called Melanonychia. There are multiple types of melanonychia, and it can have a variety of causes. It is important to have your doctor look at it to rule out things such as skin cancer, infections, Addison’s disease, hyperthyroidism, HIV, and much more. (9)
9. Unexplained Bruising
Bruising is common and often happens when we bump into things, fall down, and more. They are harmless and will go away without much issue. Many of us, especially women, will have bruises sometimes that we don’t know where they came from. These aren’t a cause for concern unless they become frequent. Reasons for unexplained bruising can be (10):
- Certain medications
- Bleeding or clotting disorders
- Lupus
- Liver disease
- Some cancers
- Blood vessel inflammation
- Malnutrition and deficiencies of vitamins B12, C, K, and folic acid
If you are experiencing sudden or unexplained bruising, visit your doctor. The solution could be as simple as taking a nutritional supplement, but it could also be something much more serious that requires immediate medical attention. (10)
10. Pale-Colored Bowel Movements
You can learn a lot about your health from the color of your feces. If your stools are pale or gray in color, it could mean a lot of things. These include (11):
- Medications
- Viral hepatitis
- Alcoholic hepatitis
- Biliary cirrhosis
- Gallstones
- Sclerosing cholangitis
- Structural defects of the biliary system
Having pale-colored stools every once in a while is not a cause for concern. When they become frequent or chronic, however, this could be a sign of serious diseases and health complications. Visit your doctor immediately to get checked out. (11)
If Something is Wrong With Your Health, Here’s the Bottom Line
Your body is constantly trying to communicate with you about your health. If you notice something different or something chronic, it is always a good idea to visit your doctor. Even something as simple as feeling tired all of the time could be something is off. It may just be a nutritional deficiency that is causing serious disease right now, but small things gone unchecked can lead to bigger problems down the road. Remember, early detection is key, so if you think something is wrong with your health, take action for the good of your own health.
Keep Reading: Dermatologists Explain 12 Skin Cancer Symptoms That Most People Miss
Sources
- “Restless legs syndrome.” Mayo Clinic.
- “Morgellons Disease.” Healthline. Nancy Moyer. January 22, 2019.
- “Craving and chewing ice: A sign of anemia?.” Mayo Clinic.
- “Addison’s disease.” Medical News Today. Jennifer Berry. October 30, 2017
- “On call: Cholesterol rings in the eyes.” Health.
- “Conjunctivitis.” NHS Inform.
- “Hyperhidrosis.” Mayo Clinic.
- “What to know about a black line on the nail” Medical News Today. Rachel Nall, MSN, CRNA. January 22, 2018.
- “Melanonychia.” Healthline. Diana Wells. September 29, 2018.
- “Bruises and Blood Spots Under the Skin.” Cigna.
- “Pale Stools: Possible Causes and When to Seek Help.” Healthline. Rose Kivi. March 25, 2019.