Everyone gets sick or experiences minor health issues like colds, headaches, upset stomachs or stress. In many cases, home care is all you need, no doctor’s visit required.
Sometimes, however, seemingly minor health problems can be a sign of something more serious. How do you know when it’s no biggie and when you should call your provider? Zena Bazzi, N.P., a primary care nurse practitioner at Henry Ford Health, explains.
When an Illness Isn’t ‘Just a Cold’
People in overall good health might recover from a mild respiratory illness with rest, fluids and possibly over-the-counter medications. But that doesn’t mean you should always take a cough suppressant and carry on.
“The flu, COVID-19 and other viruses can become serious, even in healthy people,” says Bazzi. “It’s not common, but it can happen, so it’s important to know the signs. Even common symptoms like a sore throat can be a sign of something more than just a cold.”
Bazzi says you should call your provider or seek immediate medical care if you experience:
- Chest pain or pressure
- Cough that gets worse or lasts longer than three weeks
- Fever above 103°F or any fever that lasts longer than three days
- Rash or sores
- Severe vomiting
- Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
- Sudden dizziness or confusion
If you’re pregnant, over 65 or have any chronic health conditions, be extra cautious when you become ill. “Watch for signs of a bacterial infection, such as ear or sinus pain,” Bazzi says. “You should also contact your provider if your symptoms start to get better and then get worse, which could be a sign of a secondary infection like pneumonia.”
Signs that a Headache Is Serious
“Headaches are common and often due to things like stress, mild dehydration or lack of sleep,” explains Bazzi. “In many cases, they aren’t a reason to be concerned about your health.”
However, Bazzi says, headaches may require medical care if they:
- Affect you more than three times per week
- Become more frequent or get worse
- Don’t respond to over-the-counter medicines
- Interfere with your life
- Wake you up from sleep or are worse in the morning
You should also seek immediate medical care if you get a “thunderclap headache,” which Bazzi says is a sudden, severe headache that peaks in seconds to minutes. “A thunderclap headache feels like the worst headache of your life, and it can be a sign of a brain bleed or aneurysm,” she explains.
Also seek emergency care if you get a headache along with:
- Confusion
- Fainting
- Fever or stiff neck
- Numbness or weakness
- Slurred speech or personality changes
- Vision loss
Just an Upset Stomach or Something More?
“Digestive problems are common, and the causes range from viruses to certain foods or stress,” Bazzi says. “Many times, these issues go away on their own with home care.” However, you should see a provider if you have:
- Any digestive changes that last a week or longer
- Black, red or tarry stools
- Bloating that doesn’t go away
- Fatty, greasy or floating stool
- Frequent constipation or difficulty passing stool
- Nausea or abdominal pain that keeps coming back
- Weight loss without an obvious cause
In some cases, a digestive problem can be an emergency. Seek immediate medical care if you have:
- Diarrhea lasting three days or more
- Excessively dry mouth, dark urine or dizziness
- Pale, gray or clay-colored stool
- Severe abdominal pain that won’t go away
- Vomiting for more than 24 hours
- Vomiting blood
- Yellowing of skin or eyes
Stress vs. Mental Health Conditions
“Everyone feels stress, worry or sadness sometimes,” says Bazzi. “But when those feelings become overwhelming, constant or disrupt your daily life, they may be more than just everyday challenges.”
Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental health conditions, and they require medical care. Signs include:
- Changes in appetite or eating patterns
- Constant worry or racing thoughts
- Fatigue or low energy, even after rest
- Feeling sad or hopeless most days
- Frequent irritability or mood swings
- Loss of interest in things or people you used to enjoy
- Panic attacks, which cause intense fear, racing heart, sweating and chest tightness
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Physical symptoms like frequent stomachaches or headaches without a clear cause
You should also see a provider if mental health symptoms:
- Don’t get better with your usual coping strategies
- Interfere with work, school or relationships
- Last more than two weeks
“If you feel like your mental health is struggling, don’t wait until things are ‘bad enough’ to seek help,” Bazzi says. “Therapy, counseling and medication can help with mild to moderate symptoms—and early treatment usually leads to better outcomes.”
Finally, it’s essential to know the possible signs of self-harm or suicide, which include:
- Extreme mood swings
- Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
- Giving away important possessions
- Unbearable emotional or physical pain
- Wanting to die or self-harm
- Withdrawing from others
If you or someone you know has any of these signs, seek immediate help. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Play It Safe With Your Health
It can be difficult to know in the moment whether you need to call your healthcare provider. Many times, we want to assume “it’s nothing,” waiting to see if it gets worse. Your health is valuable, though, so don’t take the risk.
“When in doubt, get it checked out,” Bazzi says about any health concerns. “If something feels wrong or unusual for you, or if it doesn’t go away, don’t wait to seek medical care. It’s better to find out you’re OK than to ignore something that could be serious.”
Reviewed by Zena Bazzi, a nurse practitioner at Henry Ford Health who sees patients at Henry Ford Medical Center - Taylor.
