In fact, many of the expected and unexpected symptoms that appear scary are quite harmless. Our increased forgetfulness may be a natural part of aging or a byproduct of an overly taxed schedule, and if we find ourselves bruising easily, it may be a sign that we need to bump up our iron intake.
When unexpected symptoms arise, especially those that seem troubling, you should always talk to your doctor or schedule a routine visit to rule out potentially serious causes.
If you experience any of the following scary symptoms, take a deep breath - they’re probably harmless:
Nosebleeds
If you go into your young child’s room to check on him or her late at night and find them sleeping on a bloody pillow, you, like many other parents, may be inclined to call your pediatrician’s on-call service.
But according to the Encyclopedia of Children’s Health, about 30 percent of young children (between two and five) experience spontaneous nose bleeds without an apparent cause. These numbers jump to 56 percent in children between 6 and 10, and to 64 percent in children between 11 and 15. Of these children, only about 10 percent have been diagnosed with an underlying bleeding disorder or other medical condition.
What causes them? Nosebleeds can occur from trauma caused to the nose by picking, by allergies, environmental irritants (cleaning products, aerosol fragrances), or by environmental conditions, such as overly cold or dry air.