Many diseases share the same symptoms, causing people to get confused and either undermine or overwhelm themselves with worries. With the current flu season on the rise, people in the United States are being very careful about their health and are taking necessary precautions to make sure they do not catch any more respiratory illnesses. Often these diseases show symptoms like coughing and wheezing, nothing that warrants anything more than a general doctor’s visit, sometimes people even think it it is a simple cold, but it could be something worse!

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report on 28 February, last Friday on Respiratory Virus Activity Levels reported a moderate number of people are seeking medical help for respiratory illnesses. The flu is sending many people to the emergency room, RSV Respiratory syncytial virus has been sending many people to the ER along with COVID-19.

While flu test results are slightly less positive than last week, COVID-19 and RSV test results are about the same. In our community's wastewater, the flu virus is still very high, COVID-19 is moderate, and RSV is low. Looking forward, we expect COVID-19 emergency room visits to stay low. While flu visits are still high, they should start to go down soon.

So, even though it might feel like winter is ending, these viruses are still active, and we need to be careful. They are not going away quickly and can still spread easily. Here are some symptoms that should be treated with urgency right now.

Severe Dehydration

When you're really sick, you might not feel like eating or drinking. This can lead to dehydration, which is when your body doesn't have enough water. If your pee is dark yellow, or you feel dizzy, you might be dehydrated. If you pass out, get confused, or your heart beats really fast, you need to go to the hospital right away. Healthcare professionals can give you fluids through a needle to help you feel better. Being dehydrated is very dangerous, and it is important to take it seriously.

Breathing Difficulties

If you're having trouble breathing, or if you're breathing really fast, that's a big sign. It could mean that you have pneumonia or that your body isn't getting enough oxygen. Shortness of breath is always a reason to go to the emergency room. Your body is telling you that something is seriously wrong. It is very important to seek help right away. Do not wait it out at home.

Low Oxygen Levels

If your lips or fingers start to turn blue, that means you're not getting enough oxygen. Also, if you're so tired that you can barely get out of bed, that's another sign that you need to go to the hospital. These are serious symptoms that mean your body needs help right away.

Who’s Most at Risk for Severe Symptoms?

Some people are more likely to get very sick from these viruses. Pregnant people, little kids, and older adults are at higher risk. Also, people who have health problems like heart or lung disease, or people with weak immune systems, are more likely to have serious problems. Older adults are often hospitalized with the flu, COVID, and RSV. These groups need to be extra careful to avoid getting sick. It is very important that these groups get vaccinated.

RSV is especially dangerous for babies and young children. It's one of the main reasons why young kids end up in the hospital. This virus can make it very hard for them to breathe. It is very important to protect young children from this virus, especially in the first few years of their lives.

Ravi is 34 years old. He goes to the gym three times a week, weighs a healthy 68 kg, and has never been diagnosed with diabetes or high blood pressure. During his company's annual health check-up, an ultrasound revealed four unexpected words: Grade 1 Fatty Liver.

Like many people, Ravi was shocked. "How is that possible?" he asked. "I'm not overweight."

The answer reflects a growing reality that is changing how liver specialists understand one of India's fastest-growing liver diseases.

The Old Story Vs The New Reality

For years, fatty liver—now medically known as Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD)—was considered a condition affecting people who were overweight, had diabetes, or consumed excessive alcohol.

That understanding is no longer complete.

Today, we increasingly diagnose fatty liver in individuals who are lean, appear metabolically healthy, and do not consume alcohol. This condition, often referred to as lean MASLD, accounts for nearly 10–20% of fatty liver cases in Asia. Given the unique genetic and metabolic profile of South Asians, the true burden in India may be even higher.

So, What Is Actually Going On? The reasons are more complex than body weight alone—and many are hiding in plain sight.

Also read: Do People With Type 2 Diabetes Face A Higher Risk of Severe Dengue? New Review Says Yes

Your Genes May Be Working Against You

Certain genetic variants, particularly PNPLA3, make the liver more likely to store fat even when the rest of the body appears healthy. This genetic predisposition is significantly more common among South Asians than Western populations.

In other words, you may be lean, eat reasonably well, and still develop fatty liver because of your inherited biology.

Hidden Metabolic Dysfunction

A normal body weight does not always mean a healthy metabolism.

Many lean Indians carry excess visceral fat—fat stored around internal organs rather than under the skin. This "skinny fat" phenomenon is especially common in our population and is strongly linked to liver fat accumulation and inflammation, despite a normal BMI.

Also read: Subtle Warning Signs Of Serious Health Conditions That Only Your Partner Can Notice

It's Not Just How Much You Eat — It's What You Eat

A diet rich in refined carbohydrates and added sugars can overwhelm the liver.

Frequent consumption of foods such as white rice, refined flour (maida), packaged snacks, biscuits, sugary beverages, and fruit juices provides excess fructose, which the liver converts directly into fat.

Over time, this process promotes fatty liver—even in individuals who never become overweight.

By Dr. Chetan Kalal, DM Hepatology, Liver Transplant Specialist, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai

For most people, dengue is associated with high fever, severe body aches, headache, fatigue, and a temporary drop in platelet count. With proper care, the majority of patients recover completely within a couple of weeks. However, doctors caution that in rare instances, dengue can leave behind an unexpected complication that affects the nervous system rather than the blood—Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS).

What Is Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)?

GBS is an uncommon autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nerves. It usually develops after an infection, and growing evidence suggests that dengue can be one of the infections capable of triggering this immune response. While the chances remain low, the condition can progress rapidly and requires prompt medical attention.

The condition affects the nerves and can cause increasing weakness in the legs, arms, face and swallowing.

Also read: Do People With Type 2 Diabetes Face A Higher Risk of Severe Dengue? New Review Says Yes

How Dengue Can Trigger GBS

Unlike the fever and body pain seen during active dengue infection, GBS often appears days or even weeks after the patient seems to be recovering. This delay can make it easy to overlook the connection.

Our immune system protects our body by fighting infections. In some rare cases an infection like dengue can trigger a strange immune response where our body mistakenly attacks its own nerves.

Nerves carry signals between our brain and the rest of our body allowing us to move and feel normally. When nerves get damaged it disrupts the signals from our brain leading to muscle weakness tingling and other symptoms.

Someone who has recently recovered from dengue may suddenly notice tingling in the feet or hands, weakness in the legs, difficulty climbing stairs, or an unsteady walk. As the condition progresses, the weakness may spread upwards, affecting the arms, facial muscles, swallowing, or even the muscles responsible for breathing.

The exact reason this happens is believed to be an abnormal immune response. Instead of switching off after fighting the dengue virus, the immune system mistakenly attacks the protective covering of the nerves, disrupting the signals between the brain and muscles. This results in the characteristic muscle weakness seen in GBS.

Guillain-Barre syndrome usually develops when we are recovering from dengue or even days to weeks after the fever has gone away.

Also read: India’s First Approved Dengue Vaccine: Takeda’s QDENGA Protects Against All Four Virus Serotypes

Warning Signs You Should Not Ignore

Feeling tired and fatigued is common, after dengue. Usually gets better slowly. However, we need to differentiate it from weakness. Neurological weakness means our muscle movements are affected.

It often starts in our legs. We may notice it is getting harder to climb stairs get up from a chair or walk normally. This weakness can sometimes spread to our arms and face. In cases it can even affect our swallowing or breathing which may require ICU and ventilator support.

Although dengue-related GBS is rare, recognising the warning signs early can make a significant difference. Timely diagnosis and treatment can help reduce complications and improve recovery.

Any person who develops new weakness, numbness, difficulty walking, facial drooping, trouble swallowing, or breathlessness in the weeks following dengue should seek immediate medical evaluation rather than assuming it is part of normal post-viral fatigue.

Also read: Will Waterborne Diseases Rise In The Future? New Study Says Climate Change Could Be A Major Driver

Why Early Recognition Matters

The reassuring news is that most people with dengue will never develop Guillain-Barre syndrome. Nevertheless, awareness remains important because the condition can become serious if left untreated.

Preventing mosquito bites, eliminating stagnant water around homes, and seeking medical care early for suspected dengue remain the best ways to reduce the risk of both the infection and its uncommon complications.

The main thing to remember this monsoon is simple: feeling tired after dengue's normal but if our weakness is getting worse we should not ignore it. Recognizing this difference. Getting medical help early can help us identify this rare but treatable complication on time.

As dengue cases rise during the monsoon, recovery should not simply be measured by the disappearance of fever. Paying attention to new neurological symptoms after the illness has resolved can help ensure that a rare but potentially life-threatening complication is recognised before it becomes an emergency.

By Dr. Abizer Manked, Consultant Physician and Diabetologist at Saifee Hospital, Mumbai and Dr. Arun Shah, Director Neurosciences, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai

A small lump in the neck is easy to overlook. In many cases, such swellings are linked to minor infections and settle on their own. But not every neck lump is harmless. The neck houses numerous vital structures, including lymph nodes, glands, blood vessels, and nerves, all within a compact area.

As a result, a seemingly minor swelling can sometimes be an early sign of an underlying condition that requires timely medical attention.

Why Neck Lumps Often Go Unnoticed

The neck houses important organs and tissues, including the thyroid gland, lymph nodes, salivary glands, major blood vessels, and nerves.

This area can be deceptive for two reasons:

• We rarely examine our neck as closely as we do our face or hands, allowing lumps to grow unnoticed.
• The neck acts as a drainage pathway for infections affecting the throat, teeth, scalp, and nearby regions, making swollen lymph nodes relatively common.

Adding to the challenge, many serious neck conditions, including certain cancers may not cause pain in their early stages.

What Causes Most Neck Lumps?

It’s been observed that the majority of neck swellings are benign.

Common non-cancerous causes include:

Reactive lymph nodes: Often develop after a cold, sore throat, dental problem, or skin infection. They are usually tender and tend to resolve within a few weeks.

Thyroid nodules: Quite common in adults and often harmless. These lumps typically move when swallowing.

Cysts: Such as branchial cleft cysts or sebaceous cysts, which are generally smooth, rounded, and slow-growing.

Lipomas: Soft fatty growths that can move easily beneath the skin.

Tubercular lymph node enlargement: Still frequently seen in India, presenting as gradually enlarging, usually painless neck nodes.

Also read: 'X-Men' Star Tyler Mane Shares Male Breast Cancer Treatment Journey, Urges Men To Prioritize Health

Warning Signs That Need Medical Evaluation

While many neck lumps are harmless, certain features warrant a consultation with a doctor within one to two weeks:

• A lump that persists for more than three to four weeks
• Progressive enlargement over time
• A hard, irregular, or fixed swelling
• A painless lump that does not go away
• Swellings larger than 2.5 cm (about one inch)
• Lumps located above the collarbone

Associated symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, mouth ulcer, persistent fever, night sweats, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, chronic cough, or unexplained ear pain

Individuals with a history of tobacco use, alcohol consumption, previous radiation exposure, HPV-related disease, or a family history of thyroid cancer or lymphoma should be especially vigilant.

Also read: R&B Singer Nivea Reveals Leukemia Diagnosis

How Doctors Investigate Neck Swellings

Early diagnosis is key to ensuring the most effective treatment.

Evaluation typically begins with a detailed clinical examination, as the location of the lump often provides important clues.

Common investigations include:

• Ultrasound, which helps determine whether a swelling is solid or fluid-filled
• Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC), a simple outpatient procedure that collects cells for analysis
• Core or excision biopsy, when further tissue assessment is required
• CT or MRI scans, which help assess the extent of deeper lesions
• Blood tests, including thyroid function tests and other relevant investigations

When cancer is detected early, treatment is often less extensive and outcomes are significantly better.

Also read: Cervical Cancer Cases In India Drop 37% Over A Decade, Highlighting Impact Of Screening & HPV Vaccination

Delays That Can Lead to Problems

Several common mistakes contribute to delayed diagnosis:

• Repeated courses of antibiotics without proper follow-up
• Assuming a painless lump is harmless
• Self-treating with massages, heat applications, or home remedies
• Delaying specialist evaluation despite persistent swelling

Seeking expert assessment early can prevent complications and improve treatment options.

A Simple Monthly Neck Self-Check

A quick self-examination can help identify changes early.

1. Look in the mirror for any visible swelling.
2. Swallow water and observe whether any lump moves.
3. Gently feel beneath the jaw, along both sides of the neck, behind the ears, and above the collarbones.
4. Monitor any new lump for changes in size, firmness, or mobility.
5. Seek medical advice if a swelling persists, enlarges, or remains unexplained beyond a few weeks.

The Takeaway

A neck lump is often nothing more than a temporary response to infection or inflammation. However, some conditions, including cancers of the thyroid, lymph nodes, and head and neck region can present as painless swellings long before other symptoms appear.

The key is not to panic, but not to ignore it either. When it comes to neck swellings, early evaluation can make the difference between a straightforward treatment and a much more complex journey later on.

By Dr Akshay Kudpaje, HOD/Senior Consultant - Head & Neck Oncology at HCG Cancer Hospital, Hebbal, North Bangalore