HomeDiseaseConditions We Often Mistake for Other Diseases

Conditions We Often Mistake for Other Diseases

According to research, about 20 percent of serious conditions are misdiagnosed. In fact, cancer happens to be the most misdiagnosed which is at 28 percent at the time and up to 44 percent for some types of cancer. What’s more, we sometimes try to be doctors for ourselves and confuse one disease for another. Our health is important and should be taken very seriously. Below is a list of diseases that are often overlooked or mistaken for others.

Tuberculosis Vs Common Cold

Tuberculosis continues to top the charts as one of the deadly diseases in the world today. What people don’t realize is that tuberculosis starts as a mere cold then advances to other stages. The lungs usually get attacked by the bacteria which can potentially damage other body parts. This disease is easily spread through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. Interestingly, the temperature of an infected person doesn’t rise too high although it rises mainly in the evening.

Experiencing symptoms such as fever, fatigue, night sweats, and chills can make you think that you’re having a common cold. However, there are other specific symptoms to look out for that suggest it might not be common cold. They include:

  • A cough that lasts more than three weeks
  • Coughing out blood
  • Pain when breathing or coughing and chest pain
  • Unintentional weight loss

Heart Attack Vs Panic Attack

Symptoms of heart attack are somehow similar to those of a panic attack, hence it’s difficult to distinguish them. For heart attack, you might have a sharp stabbing pain which is mostly present in the left arm. It’s crucial to learn some of the differences between heart attack and a panic attack. A person having a heart attack may suffer from rapid breathing without panicking. But they might get scared. Also, prior to the heart attack, the person might feel a headache and be shaking. While in the case of a panic attack, a person has a feeling of loss of control over their nerves and over their mind. Additionally, people with panic attack feel tense, thus they might suffer from muscle pain.

Meningitis Vs Common Cold

Meningitis is characterized by inflammation of the soft membrane around the brain and spinal cord. It can be dangerous and causes brain damage. It’s recommended you get an early and correct diagnosis. Symptoms such as fever, cold hands, muscle pain, headaches, and tiredness can be misleading. Basically, this disease can be confused with a common cold because the symptoms are very similar. Be on the look for:

  • Convulsions
  • Stiff neck
  • Spots and rashes on the skin
  • Sensitivity to bright light

Breast Cancer Vs Mastitis

Most of the time, cancer patients are diagnosed too late. It’s estimated that a quarter of all cancer patients find out about their state when it has moved into the advanced stage. Pay attention to how you’re feeling and be in tune with your body because some symptoms repeat again and again for a long period of time. Don’t quickly jump into conclusion and assume it’s low immunity. Breast cancer symptom such as inflammation is confused with mastitis. Symptoms like skin irritation, redness, pain, and breast warmness are the same for both breast cancer and mastitis. More specific symptoms of cancer you should be keen to note are:

  • Itchy breasts
  • Lumps or nodes felt on or inside of the breast
  • Breast lumps
  • Nipple reactions Always check your breast regularly.

Lupus Vs Other Diseases

It’s said that some people have lupus all their life and they don’t even know about it because the symptoms are so varied and they often blame the low immune system for causing all sorts of diseases. It might take years for one to be diagnosed with lupus simply because one appears to be sick with different small diseases. In case you have joint and muscle pain or fevers that often appear from nowhere, then you should ask your doctor to do a thorough check-up. Lupus can affect any body part including internal organs. In other cases, it can cause impaired function of the cardiovascular and digestive systems. Here are the signs of lupus:

  • Tiredness
  • Fever that pops up for no reason
  • Achy Joints
  • Hair loss
  • Pain in the chest when breathing deeply

Appendicitis Vs Cysts on The Right Ovary

These two conditions are very dangerous and require proper diagnosis. They can cause strong and sudden pain on the right side of the lower abdomen that is nagging and aches. You should call your doctor immediately to avoid adverse effects. Below are specific symptoms to define each condition. Cysts symptoms include disorder in your menstrual cycle while in the case of appendicitis we have:

  • A hard-tight belly
  • Inability to pass gas

The chances of getting a medical misdiagnosis are very high especially if you have a rare disease. Just be keen to note the symptoms you’re having and inform the doctor immediately.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here