If you try and think about it it's amazing what our bodies can do on their own. With no need for any back-and-forth communication, metabolism, temperature control, healing, and organ function are all automated. But that doesn't mean your body doesn't want to connect all the time with you. Your body is fitted with plenty of useful signs, including the vehicle warning lights of a car. You just may not know what they mean. We've collected 50 shocking symptoms with that in mind, which are the way your body tells you something's wrong.
1 In your mouth, you have a metallic taste = You may have chronic kidney disease
A substance called urea builds up in the bloodstream when the kidneys have not been functioning properly for a long time, causing a disorder called uremia. A metallic taste is one of the main signs of uremia. If it is the only symptom, it's almost definitely triggered by something else, but it may be kidney failure when paired with increases in urination and back pain.
2 You have earlobe creases diagonally = you may have heart disease
Glance at your earlobe. If it has a wrinkle-like line running down it, you may want to make some extra effort to improve the health of your heart. According to a 2015 article in the Archives of Medical Research, "There are several studies that support an association between [earlobe crease] and [coronary artery disease]."
Such creases have been found in a variety of studies to be a sign of an elevated risk of coronary heart disease. A research published in the British Medical Journal in 2016 showed that those with creases on both ears were at a higher risk than those with a crease on only one ear.
3 You're at risk for diabetes. You have a lot of skin tags.
Skin tags on the skin's surface are tiny, benign outgrowths. Diabetes is a disease that induces elevated blood sugar levels that are chronic. What's the link? Scientists are still not sure, but numerous studies have shown that individuals with several skin tags are at a higher risk of contracting type 2 diabetes, including this notable 2007 study published in the International Journal of Dermatology.
4 You have a sore jaw = You may have Lyme disease
One of the most complicated diseases to diagnose is Lyme disease. But if you're worried you may be able to get it, take note of your jaw. The cause may in fact, be this tick-borne disease if you suffer from chronic pain that comes and goes.
Although this jaw pain may be seen by a medical professional as TMJ or "temporal mandibular joint disease," your body may be trying to warn you it's something more sinister, so be sure to clearly inquire about Lyme. Symptoms of Lyme disease include as Laura Landro wrote in The Wall Street Journal, not only headaches and muscle aches, but also problems that affect the joints, including the jaw.
5 You have a desire to chew ice = More iron is required
It might be time to reach for a bottle of multivitamins if you enjoy nothing more than chugging an iced beverage so that you can get to the ice cubes left at the bottom.
A research published in the journal Medical Hypothesis in 2014 showed that both of these items are related. Your body requires iron to help bring oxygen to your brain and muscles, and there is less oxygen in the blood of people who lack iron. Researchers assume that the act of chomping down on ice creates a reaction in which more blood is sent to the brain by your body, which may create feelings of greater alertness.
If this sounds like you and you are iron deficient, meat, poultry and fish are the best options for having more iron.
6 Your cornea has a gray ring around it = You need to watch your cholesterol
A gray or white arc is known as arcus senilis over your cornea. And it could be a warning that you need to cut down on unhealthy foods if you have one.
Arcus senilis, which is the product of fat deposits along the edge of the cornea, is most common in adults. It may be the product of high cholesterol or high triglyceride levels in more serious cases, particularly when it occurs in younger people.
7 The white lines of your fingernails = You may have kidney disease
It may be a sign of something serious, like kidney or liver disease, if your nails suddenly turn white, or white lines appear on them. As Christine Poblete-Lopez, MD, dermatologist, told the Cleveland Clinic, "Distinct white streaks and spots on nails can point to chronic kidney disease." She also mentions that ridged nails can be a sign of kidney problems, forming a spoon shape.
But you have nothing to think about if you've always got white spots on your nails-a that's natural occurrence.
8 On your eyelids, you have yellow lumps = You are at greater risk of heart disease
Yellow bumps are called xanthelasma on the eyelids, and they're a valid reason to be concerned about your cardiac health, according to the Harvard Heart Letter. Actually, these lumps are small cholesterol deposits, similar to those that develop in blood vessels and cause blockages. Individuals with xanthelasma are 40% more likely to develop heart disease and 51% more likely to develop a heart attack.
9 You still have heartburn = You might have an esophagus from Barrett
At some point throughout their life most people suffer from heartburn, but if you regularly get it you are at risk of developing Barrett's esophagus. If the lower portion of your esophagus is chronically exposed to acid in the stomach, the cells in your esophagus will start to change and may even become cancerous. Barrett's esophagus also contributes to adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, so make sure your doctor is aware of your heartburn.
10 You crave salty foods = You may have Addison's illness
Some people enjoy food that's salty. But if you unexpectedly notice that you crave chips, fries, or other salty snacks or reach for the salt shaker at any meal, it could be a sign of something more serious. As Todd B. Nippoldt, MD, told the Mayo Clinic, an adrenal deficiency, often referred to as Addison's disease, may lead to an extreme craving for salt. A craving for salt may be worth asking a medical professional about, especially if followed by other symptoms such as muscle weakness and abdominal pain.
11 You have trouble hearing = You might have issues with your kidney
It may not only be your ears that need to be tested if you have trouble hearing what others are saying. Older people with chronic renal disease are more likely to have hearing loss than those without it, according to a 2010 report published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
"Hearing loss is generally associated with syndromal kidney disease. This study, however, indicates a clear correlation to [chronic kidney disease] in general," said the author of the study, David Harris, associate dean of the University of Sydney's Sydney Medical School-Westmead.
12 The sweet scent of your breath = You may have diabetes
Chemicals called ketones tend to build up in your blood if your body doesn't produce enough insulin or it doesn't function properly, which is what happens with diabetics. Through your saliva, your body will try to get rid of them, causing your breath to smell sweet or in some situations, like nail polish remover. This is such a reliable indicator that a study published in the Journal of Breath Science in 2014 found that breath fragrance is a reliable, non-invasive way to tell whether young kids have type 1 diabetes.
13 On your collarbone, you have a lump = You may have gastric cancer
A lymph node called Virchow's node is situated atop your collarbone near your neck and, interestingly enough it can act as a digestive system warning signal. It can be the first symptom of cancer of the stomach, intestines, or colon when this node swells up, a disorder called supraclavicular lymphadenopathy.
14 Your hair is thinning = More iron is required
That may be another symptom of iron deficiency if you find your hair is thinning out. A lack of iron, which helps transport blood and oxygen to your brain and muscles, could actually cause hair to fall out, according to a 2013 study published in the Journal of Korean Medical Science.
15 For no cause, you laugh or cry uncontrollably = You should have MS
Pseudobulbar effect (PBA) is called this symptom, and it's even more distressing and humiliating than just laughing too hard at a bad joke. The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America's Miriam Franco, MSW, writes that PBA "occurs in 10% of people with MS, although some evidence indicates a much higher percentage."
16 You may have kidney or heart disease = Your eyes are still puffy
Kidney and heart issues can prevent the body from getting rid of excess fluid properly, and in odd ways, particularly in the mornings, it can start to build up. While many other factors, including lack of sleep, can cause puffiness around the eyes, constant puffy eyes may be a sign of a serious issue, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
17 After eating a big meal, your ears hurt = You might have acid reflux.
Referred pain happens when another aspect is harmed by an accident or damage to one part of the body. In this case, both the esophagus and the ears are situated along the nerve of the vagus, so stomach acid that irritates the esophagus, even in the ears, will cause pain elsewhere along that nerve. According to an American Family Physician post, without ever having heartburn, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and one potential GERD symptom is ear pain.
18 You have a cough that won't end = your airway has narrowed.
According to Mitchell Gaynor, MD, assistant clinical professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, this persistent hacking could be a residual cold, but it may also be something more severe, such as post-bronchitis syndrome. It means your airways have temporarily become narrower, similar to asthma. "People think it's not asthma because you're wheezing and out of breath, but that's not true," Gaynor told The Men's Article.
19 You may have an underactive thyroid. You're colder than anyone around you.
Your body might be trying to warn you that there is something wrong about your thyroid if you put on extra layers while those around you sweat. Even when the temperature is objectively warm, a common symptom of an underactive thyroid is feeling unusually cold.
Heat is a by-product of burning calories, as Matthew Thorpe, MD, wrote for Healthline, so if your thyroid isn't burning as many calories, that means you're not producing as much heat.
"That's why you feel colder than those around you because of low thyroid hormone levels. Around 40 percent of low-thyroid people feel more vulnerable than average to cold," he writes. "It may be a sign of hypothyroidism if you've found yourself feeling colder than usual lately."
20 You have a brightly colored tongue = More B12 is needed
That might mean you need more B12 if your tongue looks bright red. "As the people at Livestrong put it This shift in appearance results from the depapillation of the tongue: the removal of the tiny bumps that generally give a light pink, velvety appearance to the tongue... The tongue appears red and beefy without these small bumps, called papillae." Medical practitioners often call this "beefsteak tongue.
This means your body can use more iron, folate and vitamin B12, according to Stanford Medicine. You can stock up on B12 by eating more pork, plain low-fat yogurt, salmon, chicken, and eggs.