25 Health Symptoms You Should Never Ignore

Speech that’s suddenly unintelligible can be a sign of a stroke in the brain’s language centre.

- Lisa Bendall

SUDDEN SYMPTOMS

Slurred speech

“The person may have garbled and mixed-up words or they can’t understand what you’re saying,” says Dr. Leanne K. Casaubon, neurologist and director of the Transient Ischemic Attack and Minor Stroke Unit at Toronto Western Hospital. Another symptom may be drooping on one side of the face. Any time you suspect you’ve suffered a stroke, call 911 promptly, or have someone else do so.

Flashes of light or increased floaters

As we get older, it’s not uncommon to see oaters and ashes—often harmless signs of changes to the vitreous gel inside our eyeballs. But sudden, bright ashes or a larger number of oaters can mean the retina has torn. That’s an eye emergency and should be checked. “Otherwise uid can seep underneath the tear and lead to a retinal detachment, which can cause blindness,” says Dr. Lorne Bellan, head of the department of ophthalmology at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.

Change in mental status

If a loved one’s mental function or behaviour abruptly changes, they need to be seen—even if they’ve been diagnosed with dementia. “Typically it’s not normal to become acutely confused,” says Ottawa’s Dr. Paul Pageau, former president of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians. The symptom is often caused by a condition that needs treatment, such as a urinary tract infection. Other common causes include low blood sugar (among people with diabetes), electrolyte imbalances and medication.

Vision changes