doctors reveal 5 symptoms patients overlook

8/4/2019 Doctors Reveal 5 Symptoms Patients Overlook

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5 Critical Symptoms Patients Overlook

English for Science and Technology 1

TEXT 5: Doctors Reveal5 Critical Symptoms

Patients Overlook

By Lam Lye Ching

IT WAS SILLY, REALLY. Just a bit of gum bleedin well, a lot. But dont mostpeoples gums bleed sometimes? Jirapon Chaimongkon, 26, was not the kindof person to worry over every little thing. The Bangkok computer engineer wasa busy man. In August 1999, he noticed his gums were bleeding and he wasbruising easily. However, he didnt think much about it.

Two months later, he developed a fever after the dentist removed a molar

that had been bothering him. Then things got worse. The gum where histooth had been removed bled non-stop for three days, and Chaimongkonfinally went to a doctor.

Suspecting a problem, his doctor sent him for blood tests, which showed thatChaimongkon had chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), a form of cancer of theblood cells. You have to be admitted to hospital straight away, the doctortold him. Some people run to the doctor every time they get a little head cold.More common are those who notice but ignore symptoms out of ignorance,embarrassment or fear. Bleeding gums that signal leukaemia may be rare, butother signs are not so unusual, yet people tend to dismiss them. Here areimportant ones to look out for:

Pains in the Chest

Itll go away can be the most dangerous words in a patients vocabulary.Heart attacks can occur during exercise and people sometimes think the

symptoms are just a sign of indigestion, says Dr Samuel Ong, a cardiologist atSunway Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur. The symptoms are often described asuncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the chest, whichsometimes radiates to the jaw, neck, back or arms. It may also be accompaniedby shortness of breath, sweating or nausea.

Fear of doctors or of knowing

the truth keeps many from

getting the treatment they need


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People who already have some form of cardiovascular disease, diabetes,obesity, high cholesterol or hypertension, who smoke cigarettes or who have aclose relative who suffered a heart attack before the age of 55 need to beespecially vigilant.

Sexual DysfunctionIn a rush to complete a physical exam, questions about sex can easily bemissed. Doctors observe that patients are often reluctant to discuss sexualdifficulties even though theyre a common side effect of such widely prescribeddrugs as anti-depressants and blood-pressure medication. There are someillnesses that may effect sexual function like diabetes, hypertension, thyroidproblems, mental or psychological disorders, says Dr Benjie Reyes, a urologistat St Lukes Medical Centre in Manila. In fact, recent studies show that one ofthe best early predictors of heart disease may be erectile dysfunction.

Changes in Sleep Habits

Many people think of insomnia or sleeping too much as part of a busy andstressful lifestyle. But a change in sleep habits may be a sign of an underlyingpsychiatric issue, says Dr Marvin Chong, a psychiatrist at Hospital Fatimah inIpoh. In Asia, only one in three people with depression ever seek medical help.Just half of those who do consult a general practitioner are not diagnosedcorrectly, and only ten per cent of those who are diagnosed are referred to apsychiatrist, adds Chong.

Problems sleeping can be due to things as simple as stress, alcohol or toomuch caffeine, but can also be a sign of disease. Certain sleep problems maysignal a breathing disorder, kidney disease or diabetes.

A surprising sleep-related sign of trouble is the need for extra pillows. Peoplewho must elevate their heads to sleep may have heart disease. Raising thehead allows blood to pool in the feet, taking strain off the heart.

Drug ReactionsHeadaches, nausea, dizziness, rashes, trouble breathing these symptoms

can beindicators of a variety of disease. But people sometimes overlook theobvious: they can also be reaction to medication. An april 19998 study in theJournal of the american Medical Association estimated that some 43,000Americans were hospitalised and died from adverse reactions to prescription andover-the-counter drugs in 1994 alone.

If you have recently started a new medicine and are experiencing symptoms,call your doctor and describe them. And when you visit your doctor, bring a list ofall the drugs and herbal remedies youre taking.


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Unusual Bowel HabitsIts not so much the nature of the habit some people have a bowel

movement once a day, some more, some less, which may all be perfectlynormal. However, any sudden change in bowel habits, especially in people over50, may signal a problem, says Dr Luis Esteva Abola, assistant professor at the

University of the East Ramon Magasay Memorial Medical Centre in Manila. Apatient who suddenly complains of either an increase or decrease in bowelmovement would have to be evaluated thoroughly. It could be a sign of coloncancer, as is blood in the stool.

EMBARRASSMENT or fear can be as big a problem as ignorance ofsymptoms. Fear of doctors or fear of knowing the truth keeps many fromgetting the treatment they need. Patients fear what the symptoms mightactually mean. But the fact is that many illnesses are treated more successfullynow than ever before, says Chong. The earlier the treatment, the moresuccessful the outcome.

Speak up when you visit the doctor. Dont be rushed or distracted. Bymaking a list before your appointment, you will not forget to ask questions thatare important to you if not to the doctor, says Reyes. Also you may havespecific personal concerns or myths that you need to clear with the doctor.

GETTING A harmless symptom like bleeding gums checked saved JitaponChaimongkons life. After receiving hydroxy urea and alpha interferon for a year,then a new drug treatment that is still being trialled, hes now in remission.

Chaimongkon is deeply grateful his doctor didnt treat his symptoms as lightly ashe did. I am very careful now to notice any changes in my body, he says. If Isuspect anything is wrong, I see a doctor as soon as possible.


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TASKS FOR 5 Critical Symptoms Patients Overlook

A. ORIENTATION

Have you ever had influenza (flu) before? How did you feel?

Did you know that you were going to have flu?Did it catch you by surprise?What are the tell-tale signs?In your group, discuss and list the onset signs of influenza?

B. LANGUAGE FOCUS

1. Examine the sample below. Guess the meaning of the new word.

Look for other similarly structured words (attached with either a prefix or asuffix in the text. Split the words into its various parts. How does this helpyou to guess the meaning of the built-up word?

2. Read the text and identify the complex noun phrases. What do you noticeabout the structure of such phrases? An example of a complex nounphrase is chronic myeloid leukaemia(para 2. line ii)

3. Look through the text again, identify sentences with the conditional if.

Where is the if conditional located in the sentence?What does it tell you about technical writing?

C. CONTENT FOCUS

1. Make a list of the diseases mentioned in the text. What are the symptomsof each of these diseases?

2. The text elaborates on factors such as embarrassment, fear andignorance which keeps many from getting the treatment they need.

What advice would you give? List them in terms of dos and donts.

Engine er

Indigestion


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D. FOLLOW -UP

1. Your friend has been under the weather for a long time. You want to findout what your friend is suffering from. Make a list eliminative inquiry-typequestions. Suggested mode: Game of 20 questions on diseases. Discuss

in group. Cross over to pool questions discussed. Choose the best fivequestions. Design a group poster to raise public awareness on th4esymptoms of any diseases.


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These feature prominently in technical writing. They are used to showcausal relationship where a premise is set and a logical deductivereasoning follows.

e.g.

Zulhudi is a manAll men love to singTherefore, Zulhudi loves to sing

CONTENT FOCUS

1. Leukaemia, heart disease, hypertension, gastrointestinalmental/psychological problems, various types of cancer, diarrhoea

2. Source answers from text given.

doctors reveal 5 symptoms patients overlook

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