Dads are typically incredibly busy people. In between driving our kids to school, helping them with their homework, dealing with our own work, and much more, there’s very little time to do much else. However, that doesn’t mean that you should start skipping your doctor’s visits. Despite the macho facade many of us take on when we learn that we’re going to become fathers, no man is invincible. With that in mind, here are nine symptoms no dad should ignore.
1. Trouble Sleeping
When you bring home a new baby, many things in your life begin to change, one of which is your sleeping pattern. With a little person screaming throughout the night, it’s going to be difficult to get as much kip as normal. That being said, if you struggle to sleep, but have no clear reason why, this could be a sign of a larger issue, such as sleep apnea, stress, or even depression.
2. Hair Loss
Hair loss is a fairly common concern for men, especially when we hit middle-aged or older. However, while this issue can be a natural part of aging, it may also be a warning sign of a more serious condition. Many different diseases, including ringworm and lupus, can be spotted by a loss of hair. If you ignore this symptom, though, you won’t get the treatment that you seriously need.
3. Chest Pains
Most of us associate chest pain with heart attacks, but there are many more reasons why you could be suffering from this symptom. It could be due to another heart problem, such as angina, a lung condition, like pneumonia, or even a gastrointestinal condition, such as a stomach ulcer. No matter how serious you believe these conditions to be, they each need professional attention.
4. Hearing Loss
Like hair loss, hearing loss is a symptom many associates with growing older. Thankfully, this isn’t necessarily the case. While there’s always a Miracle-Ear device for you to use, your goal should still be to prevent hearing loss if possible. For this reason, you should contact a doctor as soon as you start to spot signs of the issue. If an infection is the cause, then it can be dealt with.
5. Changing MolesAlthough us dads like to remind our kids of the importance of wearing sunscreen, very few of us remember to ourselves. This puts men at a much greater risk of developing skin cancer, including the potentially fatal melanoma. With that in mind, you should make sure that you check your skin regularly and see a doctor if you notice a change in shape, size or color of your moles.
Drinking plenty of water is crucial for good overall health, but that doesn’t mean that it’s normal or healthy to feel thirsty all the time. In fact, it’s a prominent symptom of many serious conditions, such as hyperglycemia, internal bleeding, and even organ failure. Regardless, it’s vital that you get this symptom checked out, especially when suffering from other symptoms, like nausea too.
7. Weight Loss
When you’re working on losing a few pounds, seeing the numbers on the scales begin to decrease can be a sign of success. However, if you’re not eating less, exercising more, or doing anything else to shed the weight, then this loss could be a sign that something isn’t right. In fact, it’s a symptom of many different issues. For this reason, your doctor will likely order a series of tests.
8. Feeling Down
Depression may be more common among women than men, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of guys that suffer from it too. Unfortunately, unlike women, these men are less likely to get help because of the pressures and expectations placed on them by society. Depression is much more than just “feeling down”, but, if you are, there’s nothing wrong with talking about it.
9. Vision Problems
Our vision naturally starts to deteriorate as we grow older, typically beginning in middle age. However, issues such as blind spots and blurry vision can indicate a serious eye or health problem. When you spot one of these issues, it’s crucial that you schedule an eye appointment as soon as possible. You should also stick to regular check-ups, no matter how busy you are.
You may be a superhero to your little ones, but that doesn’t mean that you have the powers to match. You’re not invincible, and, as such, you can get sick just like everyone else. To prevent potential health problems from getting any worse, you should contact a doctor as soon as you spot the symptoms listed above.