Do-It-Yourself diagnosis is usually a pretty bad idea; that is, unless you just so happen to have the letters M.D. that appear at the end of your signature. But for those of us without years of medical school under our belt, assuming that a particular pain, dysfunction, or even blotchy patch of skin is nothing to be concerned about can sometimes be a highly problematic for our health.

The British edition of Men's Health addresses the self-diagnosis problem in the article "7 Deadly Signs," describing how minor symptoms may actually signal major health hazards. Over the next seven days, we will provide a daily summary of one of the various aches and pains that may be indicative of a greater problem, illustrating the importance of maintaining open lines of communication with your physician and why DIY diagnosis can sometimes be dangerous.

Health Sign #6: Neck/Shoulder Pain

Could Possibly Be: Lyme Disease

If you've recently spent some time in the woods, there's a chance a small stowaway may have hitched a ride on your body. And, because ticks can oftentimes be very difficult to spot, many cases of Lyme disease are only reported once symptoms -- such as those mentioned above -- manifest. Men's Health reports that headaches, muscle aches, and red lesions are also signs of Lyme Disease. Treatment comes in the form of antibiotics. But left untreated, severe cases of Lyme Disease can sometimes result in meningitis, facial palsy, and severe arthritis.

Links to:
Health Sign #1: Pain in Your Foot
Health Sign #2: Back Pain
Health Sign #3: Leg Pain
Health Sign #4: Diarrhea
Health Sign #5: Erectile Dysfunction

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Did you ever see the movie Lorenzo's Oil? If you haven't, I highly recommend it. In short, it's about a young boy diagnosed with a rare disease. Ultimately, it's found that a special diet with certain fats helped him. I just stumbled across a news story that reminds me so much of that movie.

Ella, a six-year-old girl from the UK, was recently part of a clinical trial to test the effects of a ketogenic diet on epilepsy. Ella was healthy until her first birthday when she contracted pneumococcal meningitis. The severe infection left her with both hearing and learning difficulties. Later, after experiencing seizures, she was also diagnosed with epilepsy.

There was a brief, few months after her fourth birthday when Ella was free of seizures. The reprieve didn't last long, but it gave Ella's parents a chance to glimpse their daughter free of the debilitating seizures. That was the impetus for signing her up for the clinical trial.

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Statistically, you shouldn't have to worry about meningoccal meningitis. It's incredibly rare -- effecting only 3,000 people in the US every year.

However, the majority of those that do contract the disease fall into two major categories: children under 1, and college students. The latter are prone to the disease due to their lifestyle -- away from home for the first time, living in dorms, and staying up late. These kids, if not properly vaccinated, can be at risk.

And when you consider, that in 12 percent of cases, the infection turns deadly -- and even amongst survivors, 20 percent suffer brain damage, kidney disease, loss of hearing of sight or limb amputations, it seems worthwhile to take whatever precautions necessary to protect your child.

While some states mandate the vaccination, many do not, so be sure to ask your doctor -- before you son or daughter heads off to school -- about how they can ward off this rare, but exceptionally dangerous disease.

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