The 7 signs you should NEVER ignore

With Christmas now a distant memory, this is the time to get those niggling health concerns seen to

- DR PHILIPPA KAYE

Is there something you wanted to get checked out or should have done, but never got round to it last year? Perhaps you’ve had a letter inviting you to make an appointment for a screening sitting on your ‘to-do’ pile for months, or there was something that niggled over the holiday period? If so, you’re not alone. Many people have put offgoing to see their doctor recently for fears of overwhelming the NHS or worries about COVID-19.

But 2022 is the time! Get whatever is bothering you checked out, ask the question, answer the niggling concern that keeps cropping up in the back of your mind, and attend your screening.

How you access your GP, especially in the first instance, may well have changed – but your local surgery will be open.

Time often matters when it comes to medicine, in particular with regards to cancer. The earlier that a cancer is diagnosed, the more likely that it will be at an earlier stage, and less likely that it will have spread.

So, as we start a new year and many people look to overhaul their lifestyles, what are the signs and symptoms that you should never ignore? This list isn’t meant to frighten you, as having one of the symptoms below doesn’t automatically mean cancer or another serious condition, but it does mean you have a symptom that needs to be investigated.

BLEEDING AFTER THE MENOPAUSE