Being aware of potential issues going on within your body is incredibly important as you seek to maintain the highest levels of health and wellness possible.
It’s always in our best interest to try to maintain a quality standard of health.
However, when unpleasant, painful, or distracting symptoms of potential problems arise, it’s also important that we seek to understand what we’re dealing with.
Sometimes, symptoms are minor and don’t really mean anything—like the occasional headache or nose sniffle.
However, some symptoms should definitely never be ignored. And when it comes to the gastrointestinal tract (i.e. the stomach and the intestines), there are definitely some symptoms that you should never ignore.
In this post, you’re going to learn about five such symptoms that should always get your attention if you experience them.
Some of these symptoms can be remedied by changing your diet, adopting healthier habits, or taking medication.
But in any case, a visit to your doctor is going to be the best option for making sure that there isn’t a bigger issue at play.
Let’s dive into it.
1. Heartburn That Gets Worse And Doesn’t Go Away
Anyone who’s ever eaten a chili dog knows that heartburn is sometimes just a fact of life.
However, if you experience frequent heartburn that happens more than twice per week—and if the heartburn seems to get really bad and doesn’t improve with the use of over-the-counter antacids, then you should definitely talk to your doctor.
This could be a sign of a greater underlying problem.
2. You Have Bloody Diarrhea
This can definitely be a shocking symptom that may frighten you when you first witness it.
The good news, however, is that sometimes there’s a fairly logical explanation for it.
The bad news, on the other hand, is that it can sometimes be a sign of a much bigger issue.
Blood in your stool can appear dark red, bright red, or even black or ‘tarry.’
It could be the result of a stomach ulcer, a symptom of Crohn’s disease, or even a sign of an E.coli infection.
It’s really impossible to know without a doctor’s diagnosis—so make sure that if you experience this symptom, you get to the doctor right away to get it checked out.
3. You Feel Full Before You Eat
If you sit down to eat, but already feel ‘full,’ with no logical explanation for it, then it could be a sign that there’s a bigger issue going on in your gut that needs to be checked out.
This is especially true if you tend to feel nauseous.
Pro Tip: Some people who experience nausea smoke cannabis to deal with it.
Just make sure to clear the issue with your doctor first, to make sure you’re not dealing with an actually dangerous medical problem.
4. You’re Experiencing Severe Abdominal Pain
If you’re experiencing severe abdominal pain, then you may definitely want to schedule an appointment with your doctor.
Now, we’re not talking about the usual minor upset stomach here.
We’re talking about abdominal pain that’s so extreme that you’re immobilized and really can’t do anything or move around.
Pain that bad generally speaks to a worse issue, and only your doctor can really diagnose it
5. A Distended Abdomen
If your abdomen is swelling so much that it’s not only noticeable, but also seems to be swelling to the point where the swelling doesn’t go away after you should have digested your food—it could be an indication of a gastrointestinal issue.
Now, everyone experiences a bit of bloating now and then—especially right after eating or drinking a large amount of fluid.
What we’re talking about here is swelling that doesn’t go away after a while, as it should.
In such cases, a visit to the doctor is most definitely recommended.
Conclusion
Nobody wants to imagine that they could suffer from severe gastrointestinal issues.
However, the stomach and the intestines are important parts of the body—and sometimes they develop problems or issues.
Thankfully, with modern medical technology, these problems are often solvable.
But it’s crucial to talk to your doctor—and that you don’t ignore the symptoms.