Many potentially serious illnesses are preceded by so-called early warning signs. Below we give a list of such signs. Note that this list is not complete, i.e. there are many more early warning signs than the ones listed here. Also, many of these "early signs" sometimes appear for reasons which do not necessarily indicate the onset of a serious disease. However, if you do experience any one of these symptoms, it would be wise to pay -without delay- a visit to one of our hospital physicians.

Possible early warning signs of a serious illness are:

• Rapid and significant loss of weight - of, say, more than about 4 kg (or 10 lbs.) - without apparent cause.
• A sore, a scab or an ulcer, either in the mouth or on the body that takes longer than about 3 weeks to heal.
• An "old" skin blemish or mole that suddenly begins to bleed or to itch, or that starts to change color, size or shape.
• Severe headaches that develop for no obvious reasons.
• Sudden attacks of vomiting without preceding nausea.
• Fainting spells for no apparent reason.
• Visual problems such as seeing "haloes" around lights, or intermittent blurred vision.
• Increasing difficulties with swallowing.
• Hoarseness without apparent cause that lasts for a week or more.
• A "smokers cough," or any other nagging cough, that is gradually getting worse.
• Blood in coughed-up phlegm (or sputum).
• Constantly swollen ankles.
• Abnormal lumps anywhere, e.g. breast, armpit, neck or abdomen.
• A bluish tinge to the lips, the insides of the eyelids, or the nail beds.
• Extreme shortness of breath for no apparent reason.
• Vomiting of blood or of a substance that resembles coffee-grounds.
• Persistent indigestion or persistent abdominal pain.
• A marked change in the normal bowel habits, such as alternating attacks of diarrhea and constipation.
• Stool, i.e. the result of the bowel movement, that looks black and tarry.
• Rectal bleeding resulting from other causes than scratching.
• Unusually cloudy, pink, red or smoky-looking urine.
• Discomfort or difficulty when urinating.
• In men, discharge from the tip of the penis.
• In women, a lump or an unusual thickening of the breast or any alteration in breast shape or breast skin - such as flattening, bulging or puckering.
• In women, bleeding or unusual discharge from a breast nipple.
• In women, vaginal bleeding or "spotting" that occurs in between the usual menstruation periods or after menopause.

In coming to our hospital with one or more of the above symptoms, you will be first asked to describe your symptoms to the screening nurse at the registration desk. She will refer you to the appropriate doctor. After consulting with the latter, and depending on your symptoms, you may be advised to have one or more of our physical check-ups.

Thai Nakarin Hospital has different check-up programs such as the Hypertension Program, the Heart Disease Program, the Executive Programs (for male or female), the Pre-marital or Pre-pregnancy Programs, and the Cancer Detection programs. Many of these programs have been detailed in Special Medical Package