When we are ill, we often treat ourselves, running the risk of confusing one disease with another. In fact, 20% of serious ailments are misdiagnosed. More reason to take the case seriously, because our health should not be taken lightly: this is what we have most valuable. We invite you to explore some diseases that can be ignored or confused by lack of clear information.
Based on several studies, postshealthy have prepared a list of disease that can be confused with others.
- 1-Heart attack vs panic attack
It is often difficult to distinguish a heart attack from a panic attack. No wonder, because the symptoms are very similar. Acute throbbing pain usually indicates a heart attack. In a lot of cases, this pain is just in the left arm.
Here are some differences between a heart attack and a panic attack:
– People who have a heart attack have trouble breathing but do not panic, although they may feel scared. They also experience a huge headaches and tremors. In the case of panic attacks, a person has the feeling of losing control over his nerves and his mind.
– If you have a panic attack, your body is tense and you can have muscle pain
- 2-Meningitis vs ordinary cold
Meningitis is the inflammation of the membranes that envelop the central nervous system. It is very dangerous and can cause a great damage to the brain. Also, is it important to have an early and correct diagnosis. Common symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, headaches and fatigue can be wrong.
This disease can easily be confused with an ordinary cold because the symptoms are very similar. It is necessary to pay attention in particular to:
- Rigidity in the neck;
- Convulsions;
- Stains and rashes;
- From sensitivity to light
- 3-Tuberculosis vs ordinary cold
Tuberculosis is still today one of the most common fatal diseases. The bacteria that cause this condition mainly attack the lungs, but can affect other parts of the body. Tuberculosis spreads in the air when someone coughs, sneezes or speaks. The body temperature of a person with tuberculosis does not exceed 37 – 37.5ºC, and increases especially at night.
Symptoms such as fatigue, fever, night sweats and chills can make you think it’s an ordinary cold. However, there are specific symptoms that indicate that it is something much more serious:
- Cough lasting more than three weeks;
- Cough with blood;
- Sore in the chest when breathing or coughing;
- Involuntary loss of weight.
- 4-Breast cancer vs. Mastitis
Nearly half of cancer patients are diagnosed too late. About a quarter of patients with this condition have learned their condition once they have advanced. If you have some symptoms for a long period of time, it may not be only because of low immunity. Try to listen to your body and pay attention to how you feel.
The symptoms of cancer are very similar to those of other diseases. For example, inflammatory breast cancer is often mingled for mastitis; and the malignant tumor of the large intestine has symptoms almost identical to those of ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome. It is possible that you have the symptoms of mastitis with skin irritation, redness, with pain and warmth in the breasts.
Pay attention to more specific symptoms of cancer, such as:
- Breast itching;
- Increase in size, lymph nodes or inflammation of part of the breast:
- Protuberances or nodules on the breasts;
- Inversion of the nipple or pain in this area;
Please, do your self-exams regularly.
- 5-Appendicitis vs cyst at the level of the right ovary
Both diseases are dangerous and require correct and rapid diagnosis. Both can cause severe, sudden pain on the right side of the lower abdomen, which is difficult to endure. Do not look for the symptoms on the Internet. Better call your doctor or an ambulance immediately.
There are common symptoms such as fever and vomiting. But other signs can define the type of disease. In the case of cysts, you can have a menstrual cycle disorder. If it is appendicitis, you can present:
- Inflammation of the abdomen.
- Constipation or diarrhea
- 6-Lupus vs other diseases
You can have lupus for a long time and not know it, because the symptoms are very varied. It may seem that the immune system causes all kinds of diseases in your body. Doctors take years to discover this dangerous disease because you just seem to be suffering from many different small diseases.
So you should know that if you have pain in the joints and muscles, and if you sometimes have fevers for no apparent reason, you should consult your doctor as soon as possible so that he can do analyzes. This autoimmune disease can reach any part of your body, including internal organs. In some cases, lupus can cause disorders in the cardiovascular and digestive system.
Please pay attention to the following signs of lupus:
- Joint pain (arthralgia);
- Flares of fever for no apparent reason;
- Tiredness;
- Pain in the chest by breathing deeply (pleuritises);
- Hair loss.
Have you been misdiagnosed in your life? Tell us your story in the comments section!
