During the pandemic, one major concern amongst doctors – aside from the obvious – is that people will let small ailments grow and get worse. The irony is that because people are so worried about contracting the coronavirus, they may be letting other serious conditions slip under their notice. 

So what do you need to be aware of?

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Aches and Pains

We all have aches and pains from time to time and most will go away on their own. Often, all you need is to make sure that you are eating well – many mild pains, including cramps, are caused by mineral deficiencies – also try stretching and gentle exercise to loosen up. Walking is really good for you and even in quarantine, you should try to make sure that you don’t spend all your time sitting down. Staying fit and feeling good is possible, even during shelter in place days! 

The problem comes when your pain doesn’t go away or it gets worse. There is no reason that you should have to suffer and even at times like this, it is better for you to talk to a health professional. From lower back pain to unbearable wisdom tooth pain, there is nothing a doctor wouldn’t be happy to help you with. In fact, doctors can diagnose a wide range of problems remotely so you won’t even need to go into their surgery. 

Lumps, Rashes and Discoloration

Just like aches and pains, lumps, rashes and discoloration are really common and, most of the time, they pass on their own. However, lumps, rashes and discoloration can also be a sign of more serious conditions, including cancer. 

If you do find an odd lump on your body, it’s a good idea to monitor it for a few days to see what happens as most lumps will disappear in that time. However, if your symptoms persist or get worse it is always worth calling your doctor as they will be able to prescribe the right course of action. For example, they may wish to take a biopsy of a new lump.

Skin rashes and discoloration can often be diagnosed by a pharmacist. They will also be able to give you a steroid cream or similar to help relieve the symptoms – especially if your skin is itchy or irritable to touch. There are a few home remedies that can help too, such as using a cool compress or coconut oil to relieve itching. 

Again, most rashes and discolorations are nothing to worry about but they are worth treating quickly so don’t delay in getting help. The last thing you need right now is a rash that’s going to spread! 

Fatigue and The Sense Something Isn’t Right

Fatigue can be caused by a wide range of illnesses but it is also a common symptom of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Right now, lots of people are struggling with their mental health as life has radically changed and there is a new threat that the whole of humanity is affected by. 

Fatigue is not the same as tiredness; fatigue doesn’t improve with sleep and can make you feel sluggish and achy. If you are worried about fatigue, seeing your doctor is a really good idea as they will be able to gauge a sense of how you are both physically and mentally. They may wish to do some blood tests just to check for any sign of infection or vitamin and mineral deficiencies. 

For many people, fatigue also follows an illness. If this is true for you then the best thing you can do is allow yourself time to rest and heal. If your fatigue persists beyond a few weeks, it is really important that you return to your doctor for further advice. Many people are showing signs of post-viral fatigue after recovering from the coronavirus and if you think you may be affected, it’s important that you seek further help. 

If you require dental care, consider getting help from the dentist in Medford.

We are all guilty of ignoring smaller symptoms and hoping that they will go away on their own. Luckily, for most of us, most of the time this is true and your body is actually really good at dealing with all kinds of problems by itself. However, just because we are in the middle of a worldwide health crisis doesn’t mean that your relatively small problem doesn’t warrant some attention. So no matter how silly you might feel if you are worried about any of the symptoms above or have any other symptoms concerning you, don’t delay making that appointment.