Meaning, you should take pain seriously and see a doctor<\/a> if you have any concerns. It\u2019s better to be told nothing is wrong than to regret not seeing a medical professional sooner. (We know there are financial considerations that come along with this \u2014 more on that below.)<\/p>\n While all pain is worth taking seriously, experts told HuffPost there are certain pains that are generally across-the-board alarming and reason enough for medical attention. Here\u2019s what they are:<\/p>\n 1. Sudden Pain That Doesn\u2019t Go Away<\/p>\n \u201cGenerally, pain that is sudden and severe and does not go away is something that should really get your attention,\u201d Turturro said. This goes for pain anywhere on your body, he noted.<\/p>\n A medical professional will need to evaluate the pain and determine if it\u2019s serious or not, but if you have a sudden and alarming new pain, it\u2019s a good idea to get it checked out and not to ignore it.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019d rather people err on the side of caution,\u201d Turturro added. \u201cIf they\u2019re concerned enough that they feel something is not right and they need to be evaluated, then they should be evaluated whether or not it\u2019s related to something serious or not.\u201d <\/p>\n Say you\u2019re worried about new hand pain that came out of nowhere. Instead of brushing it off, consider seeing a doctor.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it\u2019s concerning enough that it is troubling to you, and particularly if it\u2019s a pain you\u2019ve never experienced before, that\u2019s something you should really consider getting urgent medical attention for,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n 2. Chest Pain<\/p>\n Chest pain is often (and rightfully) associated with heart attacks<\/a>, which makes this type of pain important to take seriously.<\/p>\n \u201cChest pain is definitely a concerning one to us. If people are developing that sudden onset of chest pain, something they\u2019ve never felt before, or they\u2019ve had it before [and] they\u2019ve been told that they have heart problems, they should be checked out sooner rather than later,\u201d said Dr. Mark Conroy<\/a>, emergency medicine physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.<\/p>\n Turturro said chest pain is particularly worrisome in older people and for folks who have risk factors for heart disease, such as hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.<\/p>\n Beyond heart attacks, sharp chest pain could also mean other serious issues, such as a blood clot in the lung or a tear of major vessels in the chest, Turturro said.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s impossible to say exactly what chest pain could signify in one person versus another, and it isn\u2019t always serious. \u201cChest pain could be rather related to very benign causes as well, such as heartburn,\u201d Turturro added.<\/p>\n Since lots of things can manifest as chest pain, you shouldn\u2019t totally panic, but you also shouldn\u2019t discount your chest pain (or, once again, any pain). Instead, you should see a doctor who can determine what\u2019s going on.<\/p>\n AsiaVision via Getty Images<\/p>\n It’s reason enough to see a doctor ASAP if you notice any kind of new, sudden pain.<\/p>\n 3. Calf Pain Along With Calf Redness<\/p>\n According to Conroy, lower leg pain, specifically in the calf, can be worrisome when it\u2019s accompanied by leg swelling and\/or redness of the calf.<\/p>\n \u201cI always get concerned that they might have the concerning symptoms for a blood clot, or what we call a DVT, deep venous thrombosis,\u201d Conroy said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat would be a concerning pain that I would definitely want someone to get seen sooner rather than later for, especially if they recently had surgery and they\u2019ve been just laying in bed, or … they had a long plane ride recently,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n 4. Upper Back Pain That Feels Like A Tearing Sensation<\/p>\n Back pain is a common affliction that can happen in a number of scenarios, such as sleeping in a bad position, working out improperly, sitting in a chair that doesn\u2019t provide support and more. While it\u2019s always worth taking care of your back pain, there is one specific type that Conroy said needs medical attention.<\/p>\n If you have back pain that feels like a tearing sensation through your upper back or at the back of the chest, you should see a professional as soon as possible.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving that tearing sensation can represent a problem with the main large blood vessel in your body, called the aorta,\u201d Conroy said. <\/p>\n 5. Certain Lower Abdomen Pains<\/p>\n \u201cThe abdomen is one of those [pains] I think every emergency physician gets a little bit nervous about because there\u2019s just so many things that can go on,\u201d Conroy said. \u201cSo instead of specific conditions, it\u2019s really more, how are the symptoms presenting?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re having abdominal pain, or what we call flank pain … kind of the right or left portion of your lower back or lower abdomen, then certainly that could be concerning for things like kidney stones, or if you\u2019re having fevers with it, it can be a kidney infection,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n It could also be appendicitis if the flank pain is accompanied by nausea and vomiting, Conroy added. <\/p>\n If you have this kind of lower abdominal pain along with any of the above problematic symptoms, it\u2019s a good idea to see a doctor quickly. <\/p>\n Bottom Line: Any Pain You\u2019re Worried About Is Reason Enough To Visit A Doctor.<\/p>\n While going to the doctor, and especially an emergency medicine department, can feel foreboding, you should never ignore or dismiss your pain.<\/p>\n Seeing a doctor about an alarming problem is the best move for your health, even if the pain ends up being nothing at all \u2014 which is the ideal outcome. <\/p>\n \u201cIt may be that you get a brief evaluation, you get some kind of screening labs or screening tests, and hopefully, some reassurance that the worst-case scenario is not what\u2019s going on,\u201d Conroy said.<\/p>\n It can certainly be frustrating to hear nothing is wrong while still having to pay for health care costs, particularly if you\u2019re paying emergency room prices, which tend to be much higher than routine visits<\/a> or scheduled specialist visits.<\/p>\n![\"It's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/67e6ea0e1700002400e1b30b.jpeg\")
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