20 Weird Symptoms That Could Signal a Serious Disease

In the age of Google, it's all too easy to go down the internet rabbit hole after a quick search of your symptoms. Usually, there’s nothing to worry about: That swollen lymph node is just a sore throat, and the rash on your neck is simply irritation from a new lotion you bought. But sometimes a small problem can be a signal of something bigger, so if your gut it telling you something isn't right or these symptoms have recurred, you might want to double-check with your doctor - just in case.

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Bloodshot eyes

There are many different explanations for bloodshot eyes. According to Dr Cory Fisher, they’re often related to the superficial eye infection called conjunctivitis, which can go hand-in-hand with other cold symptoms, like a runny nose, sore throat, and cough.

But if it doesn’t seem to be going away, you might have a bigger problem. “If the red eyes are prolonged-longer than a week or so - or comes with pain or vision changes, it may indicate something more serious, like a deeper infection of the eye or glaucoma,” he says, which is a disease that can cause blindness.

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Smelly vaginal discharge

Taking care of your vaginal health is incredibly important for your well-being. Case in point? Having foul-smelling discharge could actually be a sign of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a serious infection of your reproductive organs that's usually caused by a sexually transmitted disease. If an STD - like gonorrhoea or chlamydia - isn't properly treated, the infection can spread and cause chronic pain, not to mention the possibility of infertility.

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Skin rash

If you’re experiencing a skin rash, you probably just brush it off. While they can certainly mean nothing - like if your skin was just exposed to an allergen or is too dry and needs some lotion, says Dr Fisher - it can also be an initial stage of a disease.

“Occasionally, a skin rash can be part of a more significant disease process. Be more concerned if the rash is painful, spreading rapidly, or not responding to initial treatments,” he explains. “Many disease states can present with a rash, including some infections, haematologic diseases, or connective tissue disorders, like lupus.”

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Dry mouth

Going from having a normal amount of saliva in your mouth to the Sahara Desert initially makes you reach for your water bottle. If a lack of fluids isn’t the issue, though, another possibility is Sjogren’s syndrome - an immune disorder that causes dry eyes and a dry mouth. Although it’s possible to develop the syndrome at any age, the Mayo Clinic says it's more common in women over 40.

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Excessive sweating

Excessive sweating can be embarrassing, whether it’s in your armpits or running down your face. While it could be a common disorder known as hyperhidrosis - something that affects around three percent of the population - it’s also a symptom of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a type of cancer that affects your lymphatic system. Typically, those with NHL experience heavy night sweats, as well as weight loss, skin rashes, and swelling of the lymph nodes.

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Cravings for ice

Eating ice here and there isn't a big deal: Sometimes it's fun to chomp on. If you're having cravings for it constantly, though, it could be a sign of pica, a disorder where you have an appetite for items people wouldn't normally consider food - i.e. items with no nutritional value. According to the Mayo Clinic, the problem typically goes hand-in-hand with an iron deficiency.

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Chest pain

When you’re experiencing chest pain, your mind instantly goes to everything from indigestion to a heart attack. Shockingly, in rare cases, it can also be a sign of skin cancer.

“The X-rays, blood tests, and monitoring was all non-diagnostic, but I couldn't shake the feeling something just wasn’t right and I decided to admit him [a patient] for more in-depth evaluation,” says emergency medicine specialist Dr Nathan Anderson. “After an ultrasound evaluation of the heart, I found multiple tumours embedded in the heart itself that proved to be melanoma - the most serious form of skin cancer that has the vicious ability to metastasise to virtually any tissue in the body.”

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Trouble breathing

If you feel like you’re getting out of breath way more often than you normally would, you might want to have your doctor check into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The disease - which affects your lungs - blocks your airflow, making things you could once do effortlessly now cause shortness of breath.

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Black line on your nail

How often do you examine your fingernails? If you rarely see them without polish, give them a breather. Especially because if you spot a black streak underneath one of them, it could be a sign of skin cancer. Acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) is a type of melanoma that occurs either on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, or under the nails.

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Fingernails separating at the nail bed

When your fingernails go from healthy - looking to separating from the nail bed, you might be dealing with hyperthyroidism, where your thyroid gland overproduces the thyroid hormone, according to a US study. Along with the nail issues, you could also experience trembling of the hands, hair loss, muscle weakness, and a fast or irregular heartbeat.

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Swollen fingers or feet

If you’ve noticed some swelling in your fingers lately, it could just be due to having too much salt in your system or not getting enough physical activity, says Dr Fisher. Or, it might be something serious to get checked out. “Swelling of the extremities can also be a reflection of more a more significant internal process, like kidney disease or congestive heart failure,” he says. “If your swelling is new or worsening, you should definitely contact your doctor.”

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Pale stool

Even though your bowel movements aren't typically a topic of daily discussion, you generally know what they should look like: brown, smooth, and snake-shaped. If your stool is pale and foul-smelling, it could be a sign of coeliac disease due to your body not absorbing nutrients properly, says a US study.

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Impaired sense of smell

When you’re no longer able to smell things like hot chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven, you know something’s up. Unfortunately, loss of smell is an early - and an incredibly common - sign of both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. In fact, studies show that olfactory dysfunction is associated with dementia.

Abdominal bloating

By itself, bloating isn’t normally a big worry: “It’s very common and it can happen around a menstrual cycle or even if you have too much spicy food,” Dr Fisher says. But if it's not going away, it could be a sign of something more serious, like liver disease or ovarian cancer. “If the bloating is accompanied by abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, or any blood in the stool, this could be a reason for concern,” he says.

Leg bruises

Everyone gets a bruise here and there, but if you’re starting to notice them popping up more regularly, it could be due to an iron deficiency or something more serious: acute myeloid leukemia (AML). They typically show up as small red or purple spots on the skin and are the result of low blood platelet counts.

Cloudy urine

Your pee can tell you a lot about your health. If it’s been looking cloudy lately instead of its healthy clear or light yellow shade, Dr Fisher says that could simply be due to not drinking enough water.

“That said, if you increase your fluid intake and it’s still cloudy or if you have any other symptoms like blood in the urine, pain with urination, or abdominal discomfort, you should call your doctor,” he explains. Cloudy pee could also be a sign of a urinary tract infection, kidney stones, a sexually transmitted infection, or diabetes.

Canker sore

Anyone who gets canker sores on a regular basis knows how annoying - and downright painful - they can be. Something as simple as spicy food or stress could be the culprit, but it could also be a sign of coeliac disease, too, says the Mayo Clinic. Since those with coeliac disease have an intolerance to gluten, the thought is that gluten could be a trigger of the sores.

Fruity breath

Even though having fruity breath doesn’t necessarily seem like a bad thing - especially compared to other symptoms - it could be related to diabetes. When hyperglycemia - or high blood glucose - isn't treated, you could experience ketoacidosis, which occurs when your body doesn't have enough insulin. The fruity taste comes from a buildup of ketones in your bloodstream, and since it can be life-threatening, get to a doctor as soon as you notice it.

Urgent bowel movements

When you've gotta go, you've gotta go. But if your bowel movements have become urgent and often -causing you to have diarrhoea multiple times a day - it could be a sign of ulcerative colitis. The disease causes the large intestine to become inflamed and develop ulcers. Because of that discomfort, it needs to be emptied more frequently, says the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.

Cramped handwriting

Your handwriting might get a little sloppier over the years thanks to your computer. But if there’s a noticeable change in your style, though - particularly if your wording has gotten a lot smaller - it could be a sign of Parkinson’s disease. With the disease, you experience slower movements and muscle stiffness, resulting in a more cramped handwriting style.