Body Signs: From Warning Signs to False Alarms – How to Be Your Own Diagnostic Detective

By: Joan Liebmann-Smith and Jacqueline Nardi Egan
Toronto: Bantam Books, 2007, 320 pp

Body Signs is a very important, potentially life saving book about how our bodies send messages through external signals for inform us to become aware of some of the early signs of physical disease. Unlike physical symptoms which tend to involve pain and discomfort and are likely to send an individual running to his/her doctor’s office, bodily signals are more likely to result in scurrying off to her hairdresser, nail salon, cosmetic counter or drugstore. Symptoms, on the other hand, come in loud and clear, and they usually involve pain, fever, and bleeding. Bodily signs tend to be more subtle and difficult to interpret. However, many bodily signs can signal more serious things.

Our bodies can tell us a lot if we take the time to pay attention to it. A good diagnostician has to be an efficient and effective detective. To diagnose even a simple disease, a doctor has to collect countless clues to put together all the pieces of the puzzle so that they cohere into a whole picture. Our visible body parts, especially our hair, eyes, teeth, skin, and nails can be read as evidence of diseases and disorders that are progressing deep beneath the surface. Sorting though the multitude of signs requires a great deal of detective work.

Bodily signs of disease can be spotted from the top of the head. The individual can start by noticing his/her hair to determine if there are any changes in texture, prematurely gray hair, and unusual hair loss. From there, bodily signals of disease can be detected through our eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. We can also detect disease through the torso which holds all of our other vital organs such as the heart, stomach, liver, kidneys, breasts, and reproductive system These body parts produce many subtle and easily ignored body signs that can sometimes signal serious disorders. Chronic hiccups, for instance, may be a sign of drinking too much or it can be an early warning sign of tumours in the esophagus.

We could also detect some abnormalities by observing our arms, legs, fingers, and toes. These limbs and digits are our most physically used body parts and, therefore, get the most wear and tear. No wonder they often develop unsightly signs such as crooked fingers or creaky knees. Crooked fingers could be a sign of Dupuytren’s disease, a rare, slowly progressing debilitating disorder. Creaky knees can an early sign of osteoarthritis. Cracked nails can be signs of nutritional deficiencies.

Lastly, through our skin, we could detect many illnesses as well. Our skin is our largest organ and its most visible and vulnerable can display a mass of signs: bumps, lumps, freckles, moles, liver spots, spider veins, wrinkles and dimples. Its colour, texture, and tone can be all important clues to countless diseases hidden beneath its surface. While many skin signs are merely cosmetic concerns, some may signify nutritional or hormonal problems, or most importantly, cancer.

Body Signs does not have to be read in one sitting. Most readers should read the chapter that most concerns or interests them. I found something surprising and interesting on each page of the book. Throughout the book, I found that there were many things that I hadn’t thought about or realized. What an eye opening book! Body Signs will be most useful to the lay person as a resource that (s)he can refer to from time to time to determine if there are any abnormalities. Each of us should become our own diagnostician so that we can decode the signs that our bodies are sending to us. By paying attention to these early warning signs, we could hopefully save ourselves from serious disease.

© Irene S. Roth, December 15,  2009

Related posts:

1. The Surprising Truth About Weight Gain, Body Image and Eating Disorders Love Your Body, Love Your Life: 5 Steps to End...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.