Although many of these symptoms could be harmless, it’s advisable to have them examined by a medical professional
An NHS GP frequently seen on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and Lorraine has pointed out five essential warning signs that usually require medical care. Dr Amir Khan discussed these important signals on his Instagram last year.
In the caption of his post, he wrote: “As we end this year, it’s worth reminding everyone of some ‘red flag’ symptoms. These are symptoms that may seem benign, but have the potential to be something serious.
“It’s always worth getting them checked, I know it’s hard to get an appointment, but if you tell the care navigators or reception team you are worried your symptoms may be something serious like a cancer you should get priority.”
Gloucestershire Live reports that in the video itself, he went on: “Here are five reasons I would definitely want to see you as a GP. Number one, if you’ve had an unexplained cough for three weeks or more, especially if you’re a smoker, it may be nothing to worry about, but this is one of the commonest (sic) ways lung cancer can present and you may need a chest X-ray or scan.”
His second point stressed that anyone over 55 with ‘new unexplained symptoms of acid reflux’ should consult a doctor. He highlighted that, although many causes are possible, it is crucial for healthcare providers to eliminate the risk of stomach or ‘food pipe’ cancer.
Dr Khan continued: “Number three, if you’ve been through the menopause and not had a period for a year or more, but then have a vaginal bleed. It doesn’t matter how small it is, we need to get it investigated.
“Number four, if you’ve noticed any unexplained blood in your urine, particularly if it was not painful in any way when you passed it. It doesn’t matter if it only happened once and it’s all clear now, we need to get it looked into.”
For his final point, Dr Khan added: “Number five, if you have a mole on your skin that is new or has changed, it’s getting bigger, feels itchier, bleeding or simply looks or feels different. Get that looked at too.”
While Dr Khan recognised that these symptoms could be harmless, he stressed that medical professionals should be the ones to make that judgment.
Warning signs to look out for – at a glance
- Vaginal bleeding after going through the menopause and not having a period for a year or more
- Blood in the urine
- New moles or moles that have increased in size, feel itchy or simply look different
- Unexplained cough for three or more weeks
- New, unexplained symptoms of acid reflux
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