A doctor has shared three phrases that would ‘set off alarm bells’ if he heard it from his patients.
Dr A, who has 329,000 followers on TikTok, said these phrases can often lead to more ‘investigation and tests’ after a conversation with patients.
In the video, which got over 1,100 comments, he said: ‘If you say any of these three phrases to me they make me think something may be going on.
‘Okay so number one: ‘it wakes me from my sleep’. And the thing is this could be any symptom. Whether it’s pain, breathing problems, nightmares.
‘Whatever it is, it it is waking you from your sleep, we have to look into it further.
‘Number two: ‘It’s stopping me from doing everyday activities’. This relates to things like feeling tired, again back, back stiffness or any joint stiffness.
‘But it is very important to know because it could indicate a red flag that needs investigating.
‘And finally, number three of things that sets off alarm in my head is: ‘Other people notice this problem and said I should see a doctor about it.
‘Now often what happens after any of these things can be anything. It can be just taking a more detailed history all the way to investigations and tests.
‘But it really depends on the consultation, the problem you’re presenting with and what the doctor finds during that consultation.
‘Now I know a lot of people are going to say doctors don’t take them seriously and don’t listen to their complaints but most of the time the doctor may not be communicating to you that well because of time restraints.’
Dr A’s post comes as another popular TikTok doctor warned her followers about the dangers of Botox.
US dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idriss gave stark warning about a strange side effect that can come with the popular cosmetic procedure called ‘lip flip.’
For those who may be unfamiliar, a lip flip is meant to make your lips look fuller by injecting a few units of Botox into the corners of your mouth and edges of your lips, per Cleveland Clinic.
Botox, which works by relaxing the muscles in the area where it’s injected, can help to relax the upper lip and make it ‘flip’ and appear poutier, hiding the gums.
However, Dr. Idriss warned in her TikTok video that getting a lip flip can make certain simple tasks hard – like sipping out of a straw.
She began the video by stitching a clip from another user who was warning against the procedure, calling it ‘weird.’
The doctor explained that she didn’t realize lip flips could have such side effects until she got one and almost ‘ruined’ her daughter’s second birthday.
She shared a clip of herself from the birthday party trying to help her daughter blow out the candles on her cake, but because of her lip flip, she wasn’t able to.
‘The issue is Botox takes a good 10 to 14 days to kick in, and when it’s at that peak period of two to four weeks, it’s very hard to move your upper lip,’ the Dr. Idriss Skincare founder explained.
The dermatologist demonstrated how it could become difficult to drink from a straw as well, because of the way your top lip moves.
However, she noted that although the cosmetic enhancement can have some ‘weirdness’ in your lip’s movement, it can also be a great injection for the right patient.
‘This is something your dermatologist should tell you if you’re considering getting a lip flip,’ Dr. Idriss began.
A group of researchers recently conducted a study and found that using plastic containers in the microwave exposes people to microplastics and found the toxins accumulate in the human brain.
It revealed that about a tablespoon worth of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) were discovered in the brain and levels were three to five times higher in people diagnosed with dementia.
Micro and nanoplastics are small plastic pieces less than five millimeters long that can damage DNA and increase the risk of cancer .
Researchers also found the concentration of plastics in the body was seven to 30 times higher in the brain, compared to other organs like the liver or kidney.
MNPs have also been linked to cell death, changes in the gut microbiome, formation of blood clots and increased risk of heart attacks.
Responding to the study, a group of doctors offered ways to reduce to exposure to MNPs, including swapping out plastic containers when reheating food in the microwave.
Dr Nicholas Fabiano, from the University of Ottawa’s Department of Psychiatry and lead author of the commentary noted: ‘The dramatic increase in brain microplastic concentrations over just eight years, from 2016 to 2024, is particularly alarming.
‘This rise mirrors the exponential increase we’re seeing in environmental microplastic levels.’
