Listening To Your Own Body

With all the new medical technologies and diagnostic tools introduced to the medical field in the last ten years, sometimes the best diagnostic tool is your own body. Usually the first indication that something is not right within your body is a pain or excess fatigue. You just don't feel yourself or you know something if off. Our bodies are like a machine and there are signs when it's not functioning at optimal levels. It is important to pay attention to these signals and seek medical attention.

Don't ignore the signals your body is giving you. The more intone you are with your body the more timely you will seek medical help. How often have you ignored a change in your body until it got to the point where you couldn't ignore it any longer? At that point, the doctor will often say, "Why did you wait so long". We often think the symptom will go away and that rarely is the case.

Of course, waiting until symptoms appear is far from ideal. It is much better to receive regular check ups and screenings to help you identify potential issues before they begin producing symptoms since many times diseases tend to be much further progressed by the time symptoms develop. Many times it is your gut that can be your first line of defense against potential health risks.

Acknowledgment of the gut feeling may be the one thing that saves your life. When people eat something or take a medication they may feel off but not really having any major symptoms. Listen to these feeling, stop taking the medication and consult with your pharmacist or doctor before continuing with the prescription.

A good rule of thumb is to follow your gut feelings and the body signals you are receiving and then go and see your medical doctor. If your gut tells you something is wrong or if you notice changes in your body, usually there is a probability that something is amiss and your doctor can assess the situation. However, waiting for symptoms to appear and avoiding regular doctor visits and screening is a mistake you don't want to make. When it comes to your health, you should use all the tools available to you to ensure your continued health and that includes a combination of regular annual visits and going to the doctor when your body tells you something isn't right.