Listen to your body… How many times have you heard this phrase? And how often do you end up taking that advice on board? Take a moment to really listen to understand the sounds that your body makes in order to anticipate or pick up on any problems so you can take better care of your body. Here is a summary of the body sounds that you should be watching out for.
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Noise in your ears
Obviously, these two organs are made for listening! But they can also end up being plagued by unusual sounds. When this happens, you need to see a doctor. A pulsing or feeling like you can hear your heartbeat in your ears can be a sign of high blood pressure. After an examination, your doctor will be able to determine whether there is anything to worry about.
If you hear whistling and/or a one-off or semi-permanent buzzing or ringing in your ears, it’s likely that you have tinnitus since it is quite common. This condition that affects your auditory nervous system will need to be assessed by an ear, nose and throat doctor.
Hearing whistling when you breathe
Do you hear a whistling when you inhale and exhale? This sound can be a sign that your upper airways are being restricted. A medical examination will be able to determine whether it is a lung infection, the start of asthma (if you haven’t been diagnosed with it before) or potential bronchiolitis for babies.
Watch out: this noise can also be a warning sign that an infant has swallowed something they shouldn’t have, which is currently obstructing their breathing system.
Creaking joints
Lubricated by a liquid, joints often creak when this fluid is replaces. Therefore, there is generally no cause for alarm. However, when the sound becomes more frequent, to the point that it sometimes sounds like rattling when you take a step and you start to experience pain with it as well, it’s time to go to the doctor.
Especially when you reach your forties. It is crucial to run a few tests in order to rule out the eventual possibility of arthrosis.
And when your stomach doesn’t growl anymore?
On the contrary, you should get a bit worried when your digestive system barely makes any sounds. Your stomach growling, farting and other rumbles, although they can be embarrassing, are completely normal (as long as they’re not too excessive).
It’s actually the silence you should be worried about because it can be a warning sign of an intestinal problem. Especially more so if you’re also experiencing pain, cramps, nausea, vomiting and chronic constipation. This could mean that you have an intestinal obstruction and you need to act immediately!
