5 Critical Symptoms Patients Overlook

TEXT 5:

Doctors Reveal 5 Critical Symptoms Patients Overlook

By Lam Lye Ching

IT WAS SILLY, REALLY. Just a bit of gum bleedin well, a lot. But dont most peoples gums bleed sometimes? Jirapon Chaimongkon, 26, was not the kind of person to worry over every little thing. The Bangkok computer engineer was a busy man. In August 1999, he noticed his gums were bleeding and he was bruising 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 his tooth had been removed bled non-stop for three days, and Chaimongkon finally went to a doctor.

Fear of doctors or of knowing the truth keeps many from getting the treatment they need

Suspecting a problem, his doctor sent him for blood tests, which showed that Chaimongkon had chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), a form of cancer of the blood cells. You have to be admitted to hospital straight away, the doctor told 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, but other signs are not so unusual, yet people tend to dismiss them. Here are important 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 at Sunway Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur. The symptoms are often described as uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the chest, which sometimes radiates to the jaw, neck, back or arms. It may also be accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating or nausea.

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5 Critical Symptoms Patients Overlook

People who already have some form of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol or hypertension, who smoke cigarettes or who have a close relative who suffered a heart attack before the age of 55 need to be especially vigilant. Sexual Dysfunction In a rush to complete a physical exam, questions about sex can easily be missed. Doctors observe that patients are often reluctant to discuss sexual difficulties even though theyre a common side effect of such widely prescribed drugs as anti-depressants and blood-pressure medication. There are some illnesses that may effect sexual function like diabetes, hypertension, thyroid problems, mental or psychological disorders, says Dr Benjie Reyes, a urologist at St Lukes Medical Centre in Manila. In fact, recent studies show that one of the 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 and stressful lifestyle. But a change in sleep habits may be a sign of an underlying psychiatric issue, says Dr Marvin Chong, a psychiatrist at Hospital Fatimah in Ipoh. 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 diagnosed correctly, and only ten per cent of those who are diagnosed are referred to a psychiatrist, adds Chong. Problems sleeping can be due to things as simple as stress, alcohol or too much caffeine, but can also be a sign of disease. Certain sleep problems may signal a breathing disorder, kidney disease or diabetes. A surprising sleep-related sign of trouble is the need for extra pillows. People who must elevate their heads to sleep may have heart disease. Raising the head allows blood to pool in the feet, taking strain off the heart. Drug Reactions Headaches, nausea, dizziness, rashes, trouble breathing these symptoms can beindicators of a variety of disease. But people sometimes overlook the obvious: they can also be reaction to medication. An april 19998 study in the Journal of the american Medical Association estimated that some 43,000 Americans were hospitalised and died from adverse reactions to prescription and over-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 of all the drugs and herbal remedies youre taking.

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5 Critical Symptoms Patients Overlook

Unusual Bowel Habits Its 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 perfectly normal. However, any sudden change in bowel habits, especially in people over 50, may signal a problem, says Dr Luis Esteva Abola, assistant professor at the University of the East Ramon Magasay Memorial Medical Centre in Manila. A patient who suddenly complains of either an increase or decrease in bowel movement would have to be evaluated thoroughly. It could be a sign of colon cancer, as is blood in the stool. EMBARRASSMENT or fear can be as big a problem as ignorance of symptoms. Fear of doctors or fear of knowing the truth keeps many from getting the treatment they need. Patients fear what the symptoms might actually mean. But the fact is that many illnesses are treated more successfully now than ever before, says Chong. The earlier the treatment, the more successful the outcome. Speak up when you visit the doctor. Dont be rushed or distracted. By making a list before your appointment, you will not forget to ask questions that are important to you if not to the doctor, says Reyes. Also you may have specific personal concerns or myths that you need to clear with the doctor. GETTING A harmless symptom like bleeding gums checked saved Jitapon Chaimongkons 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 as he did. I am very careful now to notice any changes in my body, he says. If I suspect anything is wrong, I see a doctor as soon as possible.

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5 Critical Symptoms Patients Overlook

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. Engine er In digestion Look for other similarly structured words (attached with either a prefix or a suffix in the text. Split the words into its various parts. How does this help you to guess the meaning of the built-up word? 2. Read the text and identify the complex noun phrases. What do you notice about the structure of such phrases? An example of a complex noun phrase is chronic myeloid leukaemia (para 2. line ii) 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. 2. Make a list of the diseases mentioned in the text. What are the symptoms of each of these diseases? The text elaborates on factors such as embarrassment, fear and ignorance which keeps many from getting the treatment they need. What advice would you give? List them in terms of dos and donts.

3.

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5 Critical Symptoms Patients Overlook

D.

FOLLOW -UP

1. Your friend has been under the weather for a long time. You want to find out what your friend is suffering from. Make a list eliminative inquiry-type questions. Suggested mode: Game of 20 questions on diseases. Discuss in group. Cross over to pool questions discussed. Choose the best five questions. Design a group poster to raise public awareness on th4e symptoms of any diseases.

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5 Critical Symptoms Patients Overlook

ANSWERS AND COMMENTARY: 5 CRITICAL SYMPTOMS PATIENTS OVERLOOK Language Focus 1. What strange-looking words they are, yet they are all logically built up. Once the secret of reading such words is revealed, they lose much of their mystery. The secret of reading scientific or technical words is to divide and conquer. Split the word into its various parts and work out the meaning of each part. Then reassemble the parts to find what the whole word is saying. In English a specialization will often build its terminology with several noun adjectives modifying a head noun. e.g. internal noun reel noun seat noun belt head noun

2.

Sometimes, the technical terms are constructed by combining noun adjectives with other adjectives or verb participles. e.g. music noun assisted verb participle coffee maker

noun

head noun

In many languages this is not possible and so many students may find that understanding its construction helpful in understanding these technical terms. 1. 2. e.g. Technical writing uses a lot of linking phrases/adjuncts. Adjuncts or linking phrases show one statement to be a consequence of another :

therefore, thus, then, so, if that is the case then, therefore/thus it follows that, as a result as a consequence, consequently, hence, therefore

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5 Critical Symptoms Patients Overlook

These feature prominently in technical writing. They are used to show causal relationship where a premise is set and a logical deductive reasoning follows. e.g. Zulhudi is a man All men love to sing Therefore, Zulhudi loves to sing

CONTENT FOCUS 1. 2. Leukaemia, heart disease, hypertension, gastrointestinal mental/psychological problems, various types of cancer, diarrhoea Source answers from text given.

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