She had a headache, but it was really a brain tumor! He had a backache, but it was really a broken back!
But hold on. Doctors say common symptoms usually turn out to have common causes, not profound ones. But those aren't the ones that make news.
What makes these stories compelling is that we've all had an ache. Usually that headache is just tension. Mostly that backache will go away.
Remember that the stories on social media rarely come with a complete medical history. If that lady with the headache suddenly lost her hearing, that is cause for concern, even though a headache generally is not.
Always see your doctor if symptoms are persistent, unusual or dramatic. If you have symptoms related to an already-diagnosed health condition, call your doctor. But don't worry unnecessarily about common symptoms.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
