Symptom What It May Mean
Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath Obstructive pulmonary disease (asthma or emphysema), bronchitis, heart problems, panic attacks, pneumonia, a blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism), pulmonary fibrosis, anemia, upper airway obstruction, overdose, or collapsed lung
Chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure Heart attack, tearing of the aorta, pancreatitis, pulmonary embolism, inflammation around the heart, gallbladder attack, ulcers, or pneumonia
Fainting, sudden dizziness or weakness Heart attack, stroke, abnormal heart rhythm, heart valve abnormalities, or seizures
Changes in vision Stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), bleeding in the inside of the eye, or clotting of the blood vessels of the eye
Confusion or changes in mental status Infection, head injury, low blood sugar, medication interaction or overdose, meningitis, or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)
Any sudden or severe headache Stroke, blood vessel inflammation (vasculitis), meningitis, brain tumor, ruptured aneurysm (weakened blood vessel), brain abscess, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or bleeding on the brain after a head injury
Uncontrolled bleeding Cancer, leukemia, low platelets, or liver failure
Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea Gastritis (inflammation of the lining of the stomach), gallbladder attack, appendicitis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, obstruction of the bowel, infection in the abdominal cavity, or pregnancy
Coughing blood Tuberculosis, cancer, pneumonia, bronchitis
Vomiting blood Inflammation of the esophagus or stomach, ulcers, varices (torn blood vessels at the end of the esophagus), or cancer
Suicidal or homicidal feelings Depression, mental health problems
Unexplained weight loss Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), depression, liver disease, cancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, AIDS, or disorders that interfere with how well your body absorbs nutrients (malabsorption disorders)
Unexplained changes in bowel habits Bacterial or viral infection, parasitic infection, inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer, or medication side effects
Unusual weakness or fatigue Heart attack (especially in women or the elderly), heart failure, anemia, low thyroid (hypothyroidism), liver or kidney disease
Loss of consciousness after a fall Bleeding around the brain (subdural hematoma), especially in people on blood thinners
Thirst and frequent urination Diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus (inability to concentrate urine)
New onset of seizures Brain tumor, bleeding on or in the brain, or vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels in your brain), blood electrolyte abnormalities, stroke, meningitis, or encephalitis
Persistent fever Tuberculosis, endocarditis (bacterial infection of the heart valves), vasculitis, tumor, lymphoma, lupus, or malaria (if you've traveled to malaria-prone regions of the world), other infections
Trouble swallowing or painful swallowing Esophageal cancer or throat cancer, infection of the throat or esophagus, neurologic problems, or AIDS
Persistent hoarseness Throat cancer or other malignancies
Severe, incapacitating back pain Myeloma, metastatic cancer, leaking aortic aneurysm or torn aorta, epidural abscess (abscess around spinal cord), shingles, or slipped or herniated discs
Hot, tender, or swollen joints Joint infection, acute arthritis, gout, or vasculitis
Severe diarrhea Infection due to viruses, bacteria, or parasites, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis), or AIDS

Excerpted from How Not to Die by Jan Garavaglia, M.D.
Copyright © 2008 by Atlas Media Corp. and Jan Garavaglia, M.D.
Permission granted by Crown Publishers, New York, NY