frequent attacks of mouth ulcers or if a
normal ulcer hasn’t gone away in two
weeks, see your doctor,” says Dr Rio.
YOU NOD OFF AT
YOUR DESK
COULD BE: ANAEMIA
Excessive fatigue not explained by sleep
deficits can indicate a sleep disorder
such as sleep apnoea, which prevents
adequate sleep quality and quantity
and can progress to secondary effects
including metabolic diseases. Anaemia
is another common cause of fatigue and
can cause incremental damage without
intervention. If you’re struggling to get
up or stay up during the day and haven’t
been pulling all-nighters, get your blood
work done and rule out a blood count
drop induced by tumours.
YOU CAN’T GET THE
TAN TO REACH YOUR
SHOULDER BLADES
COULD BE: WRY NECK
A locked neck or back usually means
something’s out of place or pressing on
a nerve according to Dr Rio, who says
it’s the most overlooked condition by
women. If range of movement is impeded
or pain is debilitating, something’s
not right. Marked by debilitating pain
or impeded range of movement, so-
called ‘wry neck’ can resolve quickly
or require physiotherapy. However, to
prevent recurrence, it’s important to
address the cause, which is often an
imbalance caused by poor posture
or desk work. The compensation by
smaller muscles and joints results in an
emergency protective response by the
brain – much like a vehicle immobiliser. A
physiotherapist is best equipped to deal
with joint dysfunction, but if symptoms
are accompanied by tingling in hands and
feet or bladder or bowel dysfunction, see
your GP.YOU’RE OUT OF
BREATH EMPTYING
THE DISHWASHER
COULD BE: STRESS
AND ANXIETY
Stress and anxiety can tighten the
muscles that help you breathe, which
leads to discomfort, putting more strain
on your respiratory rate and possibly
eliciting a panic attack according to
Brisbane clinical psychologist Tracey
Veivers. If breathing difficulties and
possibly peripheral symptoms such as
a racing heart, tight chest, dizziness,
trembling and muscle tension arrive
spontaneously – whether or not you
consciously feel stressed or anxious – a
first port of call is engaging the relaxation
response, Veivers says. “Apply strategies
of mindfulness to combat your stress and
anxiety,” Veivers says. Untreated, frequent
and prolonged panic attacks can lead
to a panic disorder. In the shorter term,
shortness of breath can exert pressure
on cardiac and brain function. If it doesn’t
resolve, rule out asthma, diabetes and a
heart complaint.YOU FEEL AS
THOUGH YOU NEED
TO WEE EVEN WHEN
YOU’VE JUST BEENCOULD BE: URINARY
TRACT INFECTION (UTI)
If it burns when you pass urine, you
have blood in your wee, you feel like you
need to go all the time (even if you've
just been) or are frequently passing
only small amounts of fluid, you may
have a urinary tract infection according
to consultant urogynaecologist Dr Yik
Lim from Melbourne’s Mercy Hospital
for Women. Left unchecked, UTIs can
travel up to the kidneys, causing more
severe infections called pyelonephritis.
Preventative strikes against UTIs include
taking cranberry tablets or drinking
cranberry juice to help stop E. coli from
sticking to the bladder wall. Wiping from
front to back after urinating minimises
the risk of introducing germs to the
urethra. Bacteria can also be introduced
during sex, says Dr Lim, which is why
doctors recommend weeing after sex to
‘flush out’ these bugs.
There is an optimal weeing position
to prevent UTIs. You need to sit fully
with feet flat on the floor to empty
your bladder entirely according to Dr
Lim, who warns that hovering stops the
pelvic muscles from fully relaxing. The
risk of disease transmission from public
lavatories is negligible, Dr Lim says. For
optimal bladder health, Dr Lim implores
consuming 1.5 to two litres of fluid a day
and limiting caffeinated drinks.YOUR EYES LOOK LIKE AN
ASTROLOGICAL DIAGRAM
COULD BE: HYPERTENSION
Coppery blood vessels in the eyes are a telltale sign of
hypertension (high blood pressure). They can also indicate
diabetes. If the whites of your eyes are yellow, it could indicate
a problem with your liver or gallbladder. White spots on the
eyelids are often symptomatic of high blood cholesterol while
blue colouring under the eyes can be caused by poor sleep
habits or stressed or low-functioning kidneys.