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caption@P@ 1 32 If your body could talk, what would it tell you about blurred vision, painful sex or swollen ankles? Sarah Marinos finds out Body Siigns & what they mean gm0814bod2p1 - 32 2014-06-16T11:06:57+10:00

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caption@P@ 1 33 O ur body is an eff ective communicator, often giving us signals that can warn us of an underlying health problem. From the eyes and teeth to the kidneys, stomach and pelvic fl oor – subtle changes may be telling you that it’s time to check in with your gP. Blurred vision If the small blood vessels in your retina at the back of your eye begin to bleed, you may have diabetes or high blood pressure. “In people with high blood pressure or diabetes, we see haemorrhages in the retina,” says ophthalmologist Dr Diana Semmonds. And this can lead to blurred or distorted vision. “Diabetes aff ects the walls of the blood vessels and causes them to leak.” In most cases, when you control diabetes or high blood pressure, the bleeding stops and blood vessels repair themselves. Bloated or SWollen stomach One common cause of bloating is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), experienced by one in fi ve Australians. But if the symptom isn’t resolved by eating fewer foods that produce gas, or by removing dairy foods if you’re lactose intolerant, your swollen stomach should be checked. “Bloating could be due to IBS or it may be cyclical and connected to hormonal changes, but ovarian cancer can also present with lower abdominal bloating,” says Professor Ian Olver, chief executive of the Cancer Council Australia. Abdominal or pelvic pain, needing to urinate often or urgently, and feeling full after eating a small amount are also symptoms of ovarian cancer. “If it’s persistent, get the cause of any bloating checked. People know their body well and if something changes that you can’t explain, it deserves investigation,” he says. Puffy ankles If your ankles swell at the end of the day or in hot weather due to fl uid retention, this may be a sign that your kidneys aren’t working well. “Swollen ankles can indicate an inability of the kidneys to cope with salt and w

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caption@P@ 1 34 Persistent cough A lingering cough is most likely a sinus infection or asthma, but more serious causes need to be discounted, explains Professor Olver. A cough that remains after treatment with antibiotics should be investigated. “If a cough remains after two months, it can sometimes be due to cancer irritating the airways,” he says. “Persistent chest pain, cough and shortness of breath are all possible symptoms of lung cancer.” In about two per cent of cases, a benign or malignant lung tumour may be behind a lasting cough and this symptom can also be a sign of emphysema. bulging eyeballs It’s medically known as proptosis and it refers to bulging of the eyeballs. It’s most often due to a thyroid condition, such as Graves’ disease, when too much thyroid hormone is produced. The excess thyroxine swells the fat and muscles at the back of, and around, the eye and this pushes the eyeball forward. “People get a wide-eyed look because as the eyeball bulges the eyelids open wider and can’t move normally,” says Dr Semmonds. It can be treated by an endocrinologist and, in some cases, the eyeballs settle back. Anti-thyroid drugs stop the over-production of thyroxine or removal of the thyroid gland may be recommended. mouth ulcers In most cases, mouth ulcers are harmless but an ulcer that doesn’t heal should be checked by your GP. Ulcers are usually caused by an infection such as herpes or thrush, by burns from eating hot food, or by the delicate skin in the mouth rubbing against misaligned teeth, braces or dentures. But in some cases, a persistent ulcer can indicate oral cancer. Smoking is the most common cause of oral cancer – it increases the risk six-fold and causes about 80 per cent of cases. Heavy drinking and exposure to the human papilloma virus (HPV) through oral sex can also be a cause. “Ulcers or lumps in the mouth which do not heal within two weeks should be treate

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caption@P@ 1 35 White arc or ring around the cornea This is known as an arcus senilis and it appears as a white ring around the edge of the cornea – the clear dome at the front of your eye. It’s a more common problem as we age, says Dr Semmonds. “It can be Due to a lack of oestrogen around the time of menopause, the vaginal entrance can shrink and lose elasticity. this can make sex painful, explains Dr Liz Farrell, a gynaecologist at Jean Hailes for Women’s Health. “tight pelvic fl oor muscles can also make sex painful and so can conditions such as endometriosis,” she says. Pain during or after sex is common in endometriosis as sex can stretch and pull at endometrial tissue that grows around the vagina and uterus. oestrogen cream massaged into the vaginal entrance can ease tightness and restore elasticity. “Pelvic fl oor physiotherapy can help relax pelvic fl oor muscles and some women may fi nd dilator therapy useful, where a penis-shaped glass is inserted into the vagina to gently dilate and stretch the entrance,” she says. If your teeth are wobbly, you may be at higher risk of heart disease or diabetes. People with diabetes are more likely to experience gum disease that causes loose teeth and a Swedish study has found the more wobbly teeth we have, the more our unhealthy risk markers go up – such as bad cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and waist measurement. researchers are not sure how wobbly teeth and gum disease increase these health risks. It may be that oral bacteria enter the bloodstream, triggering an immune reaction and infl ammation. gum disease may also limit our ability to control blood glucose levels. So have a regular dental check-up, brush and fl oss and see your gP to have your blood pressure and blood glucose levels checked. PhOtOgrAPhy corbIS / getty IMageS yelloWing of the whites of the ey