In the age of the Internet, it’s all too easy to grab your phone and search up your symptoms the moment you feel any slight discomfort. In most cases, there’s no reason to panic. That scratchy skin is probably just a mosquito bite, and your sore throat is most likely just due to seasonal allergies.
But in other cases, your seemingly-harmless symptoms can be the result of a more serious underlying health condition. So if you notice your symptoms are recurring (or you just have this gut feeling that something’s off), consider consulting your doctor or another medical professional to make sure that everything’s alright.
Read on to know which symptoms to watch for:
Skin Rash
Skin rashes are incredibly common, and in most cases, are harmless, the result of seasonal allergies or dry skin. However, there are certain skin rashes that can be indicative of a potentially dangerous health issue. Although these rashes are rare, if you notice any of these rashes, be sure to contact a medical professional immediately for help.
Five potentially life-threatening diseases that have skin rashes as a primary symptom include:
- Pemphigus vulgaris (PV)
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)
- Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)
- Toxic shock syndrome (TSS)
- Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSS)
All of these diseases can be recognized by rashes that cover most or almost all of the entire body. The rash will affect both the skin and mucous membranes of moist parts of the body including the mouth and nose, eyes, rectum, and the vagina or urethra.
Additionally, some of these rashes may have painful blisters on top of them.
Dry Mouth and Eyes
Although having a dry mouth can be your body letting you know that you need to drink some water, it can also be a sign of Sjorgen’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease characterized by dry mouth and eyes. The condition is most common in women, and commonly affects people over 40 (although anyone at any age can develop the condition).
Excessive Sweating
There are many causes behind sweating. But whether it’s the result of a heat wave or a common sweat disorder known as hyperhidrosis, it’s important to know that excessive sweating is also a symptom of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a cancer that affects the lymphatic system. Usually, those with NHL will also experience drenching night sweats, weight loss, skin rashes, and swollen lymph nodes.
Chest Pain
Chest pain may sound like a symptom of a serious condition, such as a heart attack, but it can also be the result of something less life-threatening, such as indigestion. Regardless, it’s important to know that chest pain can also be a symptom of skin cancer, in rare cases. In these cases, be sure to also watch for shortness of breath and blood in your cough, as these signs could indicate skin cancer that has spread to your lungs.
