Self monitoring- when to ask for help

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This topic is more about medical help. I cant tell what is medically a big deal or nothing to worry about.

For example, once i found a lump on my neck that wouldnt go away, my doctor told me it was nothing to worry about, but once i got a cat bite and it got severely infected and the doctor said i was suppose to come in as soon as i got bit. Its so hard to tell!

I also have a high pain tolerance and just assume any pain is no big deal.

Im asking because im questioning whether my problem right now is a big deal or no?

Ive been working for two weeks now and my hand is suffering, my right hand. Its in pain 24/7 and i cannot leave it by my side too long or it will hurt immensely and become blotchy, i have to raise it above my head for a few minutes. I also cannot grip a pencil so no more drawing and ive been waking up with no feeling in my thumb and three fingers.

My dad says its water retention from the heat and high salt diet which makes sense but things keep getting harder.

Does anyone else have this issue? Got any tips?

If you can't hold a pencil, I'd at least get it checked out. It might be what your father said.

But I would say you should get it checked out.

I always feel embarrassed if its something i could treat at home or its nothing at all. Its also hard to call for an appointment because i work when my doctors office is open.

I'm guessing it could be swelling from your agricultural picking that's causing you to have trouble holding things

Maybe you're allergic to the fertilizer or something--you say your wrist gets "blotchy."

If you happen to be allergic, Benadryl, over the counter, is good. Especially the non-drowsy variety.

I go to the hospital for a lot of different things but I have a very high pain tolerance so we just go if I complain of pain

My 2 cents....

Develop an interest in medicine, first aid, health issues.

At least then you will be better equipped to judge if you just need a bandage and some ointment or you need to see a doctor.

I've gotten food poisoning on more than one occasion. Normally, if the vomiting and diarrhea hasn't stopped by morning (it seems to always strike at night when the doctor's office is closed), I'll go to a med clinic/ER/doctor first thing in the morning, but most food poisoning resolves itself and all you need is anti-nausea medicine and electrolytes to recover.

This is good advice for NTs as well. Women typically outlive men because they are more inclined to see a doctor about little things where men wait until they really hurt. As a result, men often get a late diagnosis when they have serious issues. More so, with how incompetent many health care providers can be, you have to be your own advocate to ensure you get good care. Hospitals and doctors would have killed my dad five times over if my mom and I weren't in his hospital room ensuring he got fed, got the right medicines on time, etc.

It could be anything - including nothing to worry about. No-one here can tell you what it is/could be.

My strategy is to:

(1) check online for first aid/home remedies,
(2) go to CVS Minute Clinic (where they accept walk-ins and treat small injuries/mild illnesses),
(3) go to an Urgent Clinic (as recommended),
(4) go to the Emergency Room (where they treat disabling or life-threatening injuries/illnesses).

Though, a few years ago, I injured my left hand. I started following my strategy:

Online suggested that I elevate my hand;
I stopped being able to move my fingers, so I went to CVS;
The Minute Clinic suggested that I go to Urgent Clinic;
The Urgent Clinic x-rayed my hand and saw nothing broken;
So I gave up, stopped following EVERYONE'S advice to elevate my hand, and quickly got movement back in my fingers.

_________________
31st of July, 2013
Diagnosed: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Auditory-Verbal Processing Speed Disorder, and Visual-Motor Processing Speed Disorder.

Weak Emerging Social Communicator (The Social Thinking-­Social Communication Profile by Michelle Garcia Winner, Pamela Crooke and Stephanie Madrigal)

"I am silently correcting your grammar."

Doctors are free in Canada so why not drop by? If it's nothing spectacular just grab some Volteran gel from the store and rub that stuff in. Works great for localized pain/inflammation without the irritation to your stomach that other NSAIDs like Advil or Aleeve cause.

It's better to go to the doctors and be told 'it's nothing' than to avoid it and develop a much more serious problem.

Where I live this is a frequently posted advertisement:

If you’ve had blood in your poo or looser poo for 3 weeks, your doctor wants to know.

Chances are it’s nothing to worry about, but these symptoms could be signs of bowel cancer, so tell your doctor. Finding bowel cancer early makes it more treatable and could save your life.

I do understand your feelings though - I don't want to go too often that they stop taking me seriously or for foolish things. But it is there job. Recently I went for an emergency appointment because I had a rash that was identical to the one in meningitis. It turned out just to be viral but if it had been meningitis and I'd not gone then things could have been much worse for me.