Your foot hurts

A herniated or prolapsed disc can produce a sharp pain in the foot. This disc problem can be missed because there's no back pain.

Act now

A simple test would be to do 10 cobra poses: Lie on your stomach and while keeping your hips on the floor, arch your back up and slowly straighten your arms. If the pain eases, you could have a slipped disc since these extensions relieve the pressure, so consult a doctor next.

Your leg hurts

Take note if your leg hurts only when you are walking, running or bearing weight, since this is a common symptom of cardiovascular disease. This kind of pain arises because the arteries supplying the lower limbs narrow.

Act now

Get a GP to check your cholesterol and blood pressure, since you may be at risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Your breath smells bad

While 90 per cent of bad breath cases is caused by poor dental hygiene, the rest signal something more sinister. Lung disease, asthma and cystic fibrosis are examples of conditions that can cause highly acidic breath.

Act now

Visit the dentist to determine if your bad breath is the result of common causes like dry mouth, sinus infection, gum
disease, etc. If it is not, the dentist will refer you to your GP for further tests to rule out the bigger problems.

Extracted from Men's Health, Oct 2008. To read more, grab your copy of the magazine today.