Sickness symptoms you should ignore

The rough-and-tumble of life means that our bodies go through quite some battering in the course of a lifetime. We are bound to get aches and pains, which at times leave us fearing that serious ailments are creeping up on us.

The majority of these symptoms usually amount to nothing, otherwise we would all be dead by now. Knowing what symptoms to ignore keeps you away from lots of unwarranted medical interventions.

You might have heard of a common phrase in medicine called ‘benign’. This is a term used to describe the innocence of several, aches, bumps, or whatever other symptoms that people experience from time to time.

If your doctor gets to the conclusion that what you have is benign, you could always give it a rest. Alternatively, you could find a simple way of coping with it, without medicalising it too much.

At times it is pointless to visit a doctor only to be told that what you have is harmless and that it will sort itself out in the course of time.

We all know about the odd headache that comes along and goes away with simple painkillers. Or a cold that bogs you down for a few days, or some muscular discomfort related to the odd strain, or even some tummy upset after a forgotten indulgence.

That sort of stuff should not send you into panic mode. Your body can take care of itself when simple ailments come along; if you only give it a chance.

But if your symptoms persist longer than a few days, or appear to worsen unexpectedly, then seeing a doctor is justified. Some tests down the line may end up with some mundane diagnosis. Your doctor may conclude that nothing needs to be done. Nothing? Yes, doing nothing is an option that could be used more in medicine.

You might have a bump that is unsightly but completely harmless. Trying to get it out might land you into unwanted complications, or even death. Why not leave it alone and get it reviewed if anything changes?

Whatever you have, you should always consider the balance between benefit and harm whenever an intervention becomes apparent. The best way to do this is to be well informed about your choices. Never be in too much of a rush to get treatments that may well be avoided.

There are far too many unnecessary medications being dished out on a daily basis.

Equally, an untold number of patients get operated on daily when all that was necessary was a wait-and-see approach.

Have an open mind and seek medical advice whenever there is good reason for it.

The rest of the time, especially if you maintain a degree of objectivity, you could always let innocent symptoms run their course.

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