People Are Sharing The "Normal" Symptoms That Can Actually Be Very Serious, And They're Important To Know

Most of us are probably guilty of ignoring symptoms in our bodies sometimes — after all, not every little cough or ache requires immediate medical attention. But there are some seemingly "normal" symptoms that you definitely shouldn't ignore, and a viral thread on Reddit is now spreading awareness about them.

It all started when Reddit user u/phenomLG asked: "What's a sign you need to immediately go to the hospital?"

The thread quickly went viral, as people started sharing the symptoms that might seem like no big deal, but actually need to be taken seriously. Here are some of the top-voted responses:

1."Wife had a pain in her shoulder and told me about it. Said it was uncomfortable but not a big deal. I told her to send her doctor a message. Went in for an appointment immediately. She had internal bleeding from an ectopic pregnancy and had about 12 ounces of blood floating around in her."

—u/coalnation

2."A 'feeling of impending doom.' Really. It's actually considered a clinical sign and can indicate an impending stroke, heart attack, or other things. Can also be a panic attack, but if it comes out of nowhere and isn't associated with a known anxiety disorder, don't be afraid to take it seriously."

—u/dragoness42

3."If you are at a high risk for a heart attack, look out for toothaches, or sudden facial/ear pain. Sometimes, your only symptom of a heart attack is a sudden, and very painful, toothache."

—spaghatta111

4."If a child goes underwater and inhales water through their nose or mouth, even for a short moment, they can develop what is called dry drowning. The child may seem fine immediately after, but they can start getting tired, cranky, or dizzy. Parents think the child simply needs a nap, but they are slowly suffocating due to the small amount of water in their lungs that they can’t cough up. They need a hospital because they could die while sleeping."

—u/colin8651

5."The worst headache of your life, which came on very quickly. (Also known as a 'thunderclap headache.') Even with no other symptoms, this needs to be looked at immediately. Could be any range of things, but what they're most concerned with is a ruptured aneurysm."

—u/lillathrin

6."If you have pain in your right side of your stomach and someone pokes you and it’s incredibly painful, you might have early signs of appendicitis."

—u/catchitonmyfoot

7."Speaking from experience here, if you suddenly feel no pain after feeling what has to be some of the worst pain imaginable, it means your appendix may have burst, and you need to get to the hospital IMMEDIATELY."

—u/BVB_lover

8."You took a new medicine and your throat is closing up. Anaphylaxis can kill you."

—u/twitch_delta_blues

9."Losing the ability to see color in one or more eye. Sign of a major issue in the brain."

—u/aladdyn2

10."If your newborn spits up bright green. Solid sign there is a major intestinal blockage (even without any other symptoms) and there is a small window to get that corrected before death. I have forgotten a lot from my S.T.A.B.L.E. class, but I do remember that."

—u/pwg2

11."I had a headache for a week and was getting confused at work. Two brain tumors and hydrocephalus led to immediate intake."

—u/dano4600

12."For women on birth control: serious shortness of breath (as in a relatively healthy person being winded just walking to/from car) and unexplained pain in your legs, mainly inside thighs. Blood clots/embolisms. They can kill you VERY fast if they break loose and travel."

—u/damndingashrubbery

13."After they announced Bob Saget's cause of death, I saw this get discussed. So, if you had head trauma, even if you don't feel anything, go get immediate care."

—u/hippobu2

14."High fever and a stiff neck is a massive indicator of meningitis, which can quickly be fatal if not treated. Most common in college age groups which makes it less likely the individual will want to go to hospital as well. Don't wait on this one; if you tell any doctor or nurse that you have these two symptoms, then you will be treated with very high priority."

—u/darkhelmet03

15."Sudden hearing loss. The faster you get to the hospital the better the chances of reversing it (statistically). In my case, I left it two weeks and I’m now living with tinnitus."

—u/codeniv

16."Skin/whites of the eyes turning yellow. This can be caused by accumulation of bilirubin in the blood which can be caused by severe liver failure."

—u/mouthfullofcrabss

17."Growing pain in your back near your kidney? It could be stones. Go to the hospital before the pain gets unbearable."

—u/twitch_delta_blues

18."Suddenly getting a massive headache when you aren't prone to them. A friend's work college died at work. She had a headache, took an acetaminophen, then lay down in the fetal position. She started foaming from the mouth, and by then it was too late. Brain aneurysm."

—u/kiwispygirl

19."If you are completely done with menopause and you start bleeding like a period, it is not a period and you need to go to the hospital ASAP."

—u/lisalade

20."Any kind of cognitive issue... A friend of mine passed away recently because of a brain tumor roughly a year after diagnosed. First signs were word-finding issues."

—u/katatondzsentri

And finally, there was this sage wisdom...

21."If you have to ask, it's time to go."

—u/carbonated-man

Before you go, here's a friendly reminder for the medically anxious out there: Not all of the symptoms listed here are guaranteed indicators of something serious. Sometimes a headache is just a headache. If you're experiencing any of the above, you should seek immediate medical care, but please don't jump to the worst possible conclusion. Your doctor will know the right next steps, if any, for you to take.

You can read the full thread of responses on Reddit.

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.