Subtle warning signs of common health issues that are easy to overlook

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Subtle warning signs of common health issues that are easy to overlook

“Probably the flu, stress, or just getting older.” That is the kind of explanation a health system’s patient guide imagines for a woman with an aching upper back, and the same impulse can blur plenty of other symptoms too.

The six signs below all have something in common: each can be mistaken for a rough day, a poor night’s sleep, or simply aging. Each can also be an early signal worth mentioning to a doctor.

These are possible warning signs, not diagnoses. A symptom can have a harmless cause, but if one sounds familiar, bring it up at your next appointment.

Fatigue that feels out of proportion

Heart attack symptoms in women may look very different from the dramatic version often shown in movies. The Cleveland Clinic lists unusual fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, and pain in the back, jaw, or between the shoulder blades. Women are also more likely to have a silent heart attack.

The American Heart Association says women are more likely to brush off these symptoms. Mingsum Lee, MD, a cardiologist at Kaiser Permanente, says studies have found that women often wait longer than men before getting treatment.

A symptom that disappeared too quickly

Slurred speech. A drooping face. An arm that goes numb. Then, within minutes, everything seems normal again.

That can be the pattern of a transient ischemic attack, or mini-stroke. It is a warning, not a clean bill of health. Mayo Clinic says about 1 in 3 people who have one later have a stroke, with the risk especially high in the first 48 hours.

“It is considered a warning sign of an impending ischemic stroke,” says Veronica Moreno-Gomez, MD, of University of Utah Health. MedlinePlus says not to dismiss symptoms simply because they fade.

Snoring, along with tired mornings

Loud snoring, gasping during sleep, morning headaches, and daytime sleepiness are all listed by Mayo Clinic as possible signs of sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. Not everyone who snores has it.

Bed partners are often the first to notice. Mayo Clinic Press also notes that women are less likely to be diagnosed, in part because their snoring is often less loud. If untreated, sleep apnea is linked to a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.

Feeling thirsty again and again

Drinking more than usual, making more trips to the bathroom, blurry vision, tingling in the feet, and unexplained fatigue are all common signs of diabetes, according to the CDC. They can develop slowly enough to go unnoticed.

“Cells need glucose to function; it’s their energy source,” says Dr. Diaz in a UnitedHealthcare guide. MD Anderson, citing the CDC, reports that about 11 million U.S. adults have diabetes and do not know it.

One mole that stands out

Asymmetry, an uneven border, more than one color, a size larger than a pencil eraser, or a spot that is changing over time are the ABCDEs dermatologists use when evaluating a mole. The Skin Cancer Foundation also points to the “ugly duckling,” the mole that does not resemble the others.

The reason to pay attention is clear in the numbers. Melanoma caught early has a 99 percent five-year survival rate. That drops to 74 percent if it reaches the lymph nodes and 35 percent if it spreads to distant organs.

Swollen ankles and a changing scale

Puffy ankles at the end of the day often have a simple explanation. Still, swelling in the legs, ankles, and feet can also be a sign of heart failure, and Mayo Clinic includes very rapid weight gain from fluid among the symptoms.

The American Heart Association says to watch for a gain of more than two or three pounds in a day or five in a week. Harvard Health notes that early signs of heart failure, including fatigue, shortness of breath, and swollen ankles, are often dismissed.

The bottom line

Mayo Clinic says about 1 in 3 people who have a mini-stroke later have a stroke. Early-stage melanoma has a 99 percent five-year survival rate.