Weird Ways Your Doctors Can Spot Your Hidden Health Problems

If you're ill, you might not be the first person to know. Sounds strange? Sometimes, our doctors can spot hidden signs of illness that we don't pick up on, either because we don't notice they're symptoms or because we don't think they're serious enough to worry about.

However, a competent doctor can spot these weird warning signs.

Don't believe me?

Actor-comedian Billy Connelly was walking through a hotel lobby and feeling perfectly healthy when an Australian fan, who happened to be a doctor, stopped him and suggested that the way he was walking was indicative of early Parkinson's disease. The doctor suggested Connelly saw his own GP for tests when back in the UK. Tests confirmed that Connelly was, indeed, in the early stage of Parkinson's disease.

Most of us don't have doctor-fans who stop us in hotel lobbies and ask for autographs while giving preliminary free diagnoses.

However, there are some symptoms that we can all look out for that may be a sign of something more sinister lurking in our bodies.

Hidden Symptom: Yellowing of the skin

Could be a sign of: jaundice; problem with the liver, pancreas, or gallbladder

A yellowish tint to the skin should always be checked by a doctor. Jaundice is the most common cause. In jaundice, a substance called bilirubin (a waste product that makes your urine yellow) builds up in the body and tissues. It's most commonly caused by serious problems in the liver (cancer, cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease), the pancreas (pancreatitis, cancer) and the gallbladder (gallstones, cancer).

However, even if you have yellowing of the skin, don't panic (but do see a doctor). A mild yellow tint may indicate Vitamin B12 deficiency. To prevent a B12 deficiency, everyone, especially those over 50, vegetarians of all ages, and people with Celiac Disease should take a minimum of 150 mcg of vitamin B12 daily.

Hidden Symptom: Blue tinge to lips

Could be a sign of: heart disease

Another symptom to never ignore. Blue-tinged lips, or lips with a blue outline, are a sign of poor-circulation, meaning that the needed oxygen is not getting around your body. They are a sign your heart isn't functioning properly. When your heart isn't working, and your blood isn't getting the oxygen it needs, your blood becomes darker, making your lips look blue.

Beware, too, of the "healthy" flushed face. A pinkish-purple flush to the face could be a sign of mitral stenosis, where the mitral valve (the one on the left side of the heart) fails to open fully. This increases blood pressure and causes that flushed appearance.

Always see your doctor.

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Hidden Symptom: Tiny yellow lump near your eye

Could be a sign of: cholesterol

This symptom is most common in adults in their 40s and 50s, and is a sign of potentially-dangerous high cholesterol. When our LDL (bad) cholesterol rises, little fatty yellow deposits, called xanthelasma are dumped under our skin.

A Danish study of 13,000 people found that those patients with xanthelasma are more likely to have a heart attack or die within ten years.

If you've started getting xanthelasma, ask for a cholesterol blood test. If your cholesterol is high, it could be time to start eating a diet rich in heart-healthy oily fish, whole-grains, and vegetables, or even to consider taking statins.

Hidden Symptom: An eyelid that suddenly droops

Could be a sign of: lung cancer

If you have lung cancer, there can be a strange symptom - so subtle, you may not notice it - called "Horner's syndrome". In Horner's syndrome, there is nerve damage to the eyelid, causing a slight drooping. Horner's syndrome usually affects only one eye.

More Hidden Symptoms Doctors Can Spot 

Hidden Symptom: Rolling an imaginary pill

Could be a sign of: Parkinson's disease

Pill-rolling hand-tremor, where you rub the thumb and forefinger together, is an early sign of Parkinson's.

Even if you notice you're doing it, you probably think of it as a harmless quirk. But, to a competent doctor, this would be a serious warning sign that requires tests.

Parkinson's disease, a degenerative condition where the brain becomes increasingly damaged, affects one in 500 in the UK. The disease affects the parts of the brain that control the hands, which explains this symptom.

Other early hidden symptoms of Parkinson's disease includes: suddenly small handwriting; looking stern or serious (even when not in a bad mood); a blank, unblinking stare; loss of smell; sitting or standing hunched over; a stiff walk, without swinging your arms.

Hidden Symptom: A deeper voice

Could be a sign of: Hypothyroidism

If you, or (more likely) your loved-ones, have noticed your voice has lowered recently, especially if your speech is strangely slow, it could be a sign of the autoimmune disorder, hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid). The dysphonia (voice change) is caused by the lack of thyroid hormone.

Hypothyroidism can be successfully treated with synthetic thyroid hormone.

However, it's important to get checked-out quickly, as - in rare cases - sudden voice changes can be a sign of throat cancer, destroying nerves and paralysing the larynx until only one vocal cord can move. However, according to Shropshire-based GP, Dr. Roger Henderson, in throat cancer, the voice is usually "whispery", rather than gruff.

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Hidden Symptom: "Clubbed" nails

Could be a sign of: cancer

Clubbing, where the tissue between the nail thickens and nails become bulbous and rounded, is seen in several types of cancer, including lung cancer, stomach cancer and bowel cancer.

Hidden Symptom: Ulcers on the feet

Could be a sign of: diabetes

Unregulated blood glucose levels damage nerves and cause poor circulation, so blood doesn't reach the feet. Small wounds are easily caused by, for example, wearing too-tight new shoes. In diabetes, these don't heal properly and can become ulcerated.

Marlene Reid, foot specialist in Indiana, says: "Many people with diabetes are first diagnosed because of foot problems".

Other foot problems that may be signs of diabetes include tingling or numb feet.

If you notice these symptoms, ask your doctor to check your blood glucose levels.

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Hidden Symptom: Unable to look people in the eye

Could be a sign of: Depression

This is one that others are more likely to notice. If someone feels depressed, they may subconsciously fear there's a stigma to admitting it, and so be reluctant to look other people in the eye.

Another red-flag is when a person bursts into tears or becomes irritable in the middle of a neutral conversation.

Depression disturbs feel-good chemical Serotonin, making the person prone to bouts of tearfulness or irritability. If you find a friend or relative becoming upset, or not looking you in the eye, gently suggest they talk to their doctor.

Hidden Symptom: Veering to the left/right of a chair

Could be a sign of: brain tumour

If, when you sit in a chair, you sit to the very edge of one side, it could be a sign of a potentially-devastating brain tumour. In a brain tumour, your field of vision is disturbed, reducing what you see without your knowledge. This forces you to readjust the way you sit or how you hold your head when you talk to someone.

What do I do?

If you, or your loved-ones, notice that you have any of these symptoms, don't panic. The first thing to do is book an appointment with your doctor to discuss your concerns.

Remember, these symptoms only may be a sign of something serious (and, even then, many of these illnesses can be successfully treated or managed, once diagnosed). In many cases there could also be benign explanations for your symptoms.

Be aware. Be safe. Be calm.