10 Types of Pain You Should Never Ignore

Pain is a normal part of life. While some occasional mile pains are okay, there are some types of pain that indicate more than just an overworked muscle, stomach pain, or the usual headache. Sometimes, people experience chronic pain that has no visible cause, and these people require working with a pain specialist on a regular basis. 

Here is a short list of all the types of pain you should never ignore, and seek medical attention if you have them. 

1. Abdominal Pain 

Abdominal pain might be concerning as well. This might be an indicator of significant abdominal pathology or might be due to simple constipation. Get it checked out and keep in mind that the devil is really in the details, therefore it's hard to say whether any specific pain is significant.

2. Back Pain with Fever 

Back pain that comes with fever is potentially dangerous. A set of these symptoms might be provoked by an epidural abscess.

3. Shoulder Dislocation 

Any dislocation is scary until it is put back in. Any dislocation typically requires a visit to the emergency room to be put back in place. A patella dislocation is also extremely painful. You might even need surgery if you experience a recurrence of the dislocation. 

4. Sudden Severe Headache 

Any sudden sharp pain might be a cause for concern, especially pain in your head. A sudden headache might be an indication of significant pathology, such as bleeding between the brain and membranes covering the brain, a rupture of a blood vessel in the brain, a tear in the lining of an artery that supplies blood to the brain, death of tissue or bleeding in the pituitary gland, a blood clot in the brain, hypertensive crisis, meningitis, encephalitis, or ischemic stroke. The list is shocking, so if you’re experiencing this type of pain, visit your healthcare provider as soon as possible. 

5. Back Pain with Neurologic Symptoms 

Back pain with neurologic symptoms might be a sign of various health conditions, such as urinary incontinence, urinary retention, fecal incontinence, lower extremity weakness, or groin numbness that could represent cord compression. This is a potential surgical emergency. 

6. Sudden Sharp Pain in your Feet 

A sudden sharp pain in the feet might occur for a more serious reason than you think. This might be a sign of a ruptured Achilles tendon.

7. Right Low Abdominal Pain 

If you are suffering from pain in your right lower abdomen, particularly if accompanied by nausea and vomiting, it might be a sign of appendicitis, which requires immediate surgical intervention.

8. Chest Pain 

It’s also crucial to pay special attention to chest pain. Crushing pain in the chest that might be a signal of a serious heart problem, such as heart attack, coronary artery disease, myocarditis, pericarditis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, mitral valve prolapse, and coronary artery dissection.

9. Sudden Intense Abdominal Pain Radiating to the Back 

If you have abdominal pain that radiates to your back, it might be a sign of a ruptured aorta, the largest artery in the body. Aortic rupture is a rare, extremely dangerous condition.

10. The Worst Headache of your Life 

Nearly everybody experiences a headache every now and then, however, if your pain is the worst headache of your life, it’s crucial to get it checked out. This might be a symptom of catastrophic brain bleeding. 

The Bottom Line 

Ignoring these pains might be dangerous and even life-threatening. So, if you’re experiencing any of the listed types of pain, don’t delay your visit to your healthcare provider to find the root cause of them and get proper treatment.