Whether you’re having a problem with your arms or your legs, it’s extremely important with any of the Body Signals in this chapter that you determine if the symptom appears equally on both sides of the body or affects only one side. When you’re examining your symptoms, you should always notice the changes in size, [...]

The period of time between premenopause and menopause usually takes a few years. One sign that you’re about to enter your premenopausal stage is that the regularity of your cycle changes. You might experience bleeding more frequently, less frequently, or in unpredictable patterns. Instead of 28 days between periods, for instance, you may have your [...]

As your body ages, your breasts flatten out slightly and start to droop as gravity continues its long-range plans. Since you are probably already aware of these changes, you might not know that other changes in the contour of the breast—such as dimpled or pitted skin—might signal a serious medical problem. Some women might just [...]

I remember one patient recalling her battle with sciatica. Margo was healthy, active, and in her mid-40s. A few years earlier, she had told me that she sometimes felt a slight tingling run down her hamstring, but she had always just shrugged it off. Three years after the tingling first started, Margo and her husband [...]

Everyone has found it difficult to swallow during a particularly emotional time, whether it’s your child taking her first steps or graduating from high school. At those moments, you’d probably find yourself unable to swallow even your favorite food. An ordinary sore throat can also make swallowing hard. However, if you’re having difficulty swallowing and [...]