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8 signs your health could be at risk

Subtle changes to our bodies, or our ability to do everyday things, may indicate health problems.
8 signs your health could be at risk

Subtle changes to our bodies, or our ability to do everyday things, may indicate potential health problems. Here are some early warning signs to look out for.

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**1. You can’t reach the top shelf any more

**Noticing you seem to be losing height could be a sign of osteoporosis. It is typical to lose around a centimetre in height every decade from age 40, but if you are losing more than that, you should be checked for the bone-thinning disease.

**2. Car headlights dazzle you

**If you find while driving at night that the headlights of approaching cars dazzle you more than they used to, you may want to see an optometrist and get checked out for cataracts. These cause the lens of the eye to become cloudy, and when light comes into the eyes, this cloudiness causes the light to scatter, making it difficult to see at night.

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**3. You get breathless while lying in bed

**Being out of breath while lying still can be a sign of heart trouble. A condition called orthopnea occurs when the heart isn’t pumping properly. This causes blood to pool in the heart and lungs, and you may then have difficulty breathing.

**4. Your handwriting has changed

**Handwriting that becomes smaller and more crowded may be a symptom of Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s affects the way the brain programmes the movement of muscles. As a result, your hands can become stiff and slow, and this can have an impact on your writing.

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**5. You’re stiff when you get up in the morning

**This is quite common, but the stiffness usually disappears once you get going and warm your muscles up. However, if you are still finding it hard to move around easily after two hours, you could have ankylosing spondylitis (AS) – a form of arthritis. The soft tissues of the spine become inflamed, wearing bones down and prompting new bone growth. This then leads to bones fusing together.

**6. You get blurred vision in the bath

**If you notice your vision is slightly fuzzy while having a hot bath, it may not be due to the steam. Blurred vision, especially in warm situations, can be a symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS). MS affects the optic nerve in the heat. It can also cause vision problems in normal temperatures. Another key sign is difficulty seeing colours.

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**7. Your eyebrows have thinned

**Sparse brows are a sign of thyroid problems. A shortage of the thyroid hormone can leave hair everywhere thin and brittle, but it can be particularly noticeable on the eyebrows.

**8. Your lips are numb

**This can be due to a variety of reasons, but as it can also be a symptom of neuropathy, it is worth getting it checked out. Neuropathy, or nerve damage, means nerves are unable to carry a signal between the lips and brain.

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For more health tips, take a look at 10 simple steps to curb sugar cravings here.

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