You've probably heard of at least one person who mistook the discomfort of a heart attack for indigestion and popped a few antacids instead of rushing to the emergency room. Maybe it's simply human nature to assume bad things only happen to other folks. There are plenty of people out there ignoring health warning signs rather than getting the help they need to ward off further damage and even save their lives.

The links below represent serious, but often misunderstood diseases. When you're trying to judge whether a warning sign that you're experiencing is a valid health concern, you don't have to know what each particular symptom means, you just need to know that something is wrong and seek help.

Interpreting signs and symptoms of an illness and diagnosing disease is a task for skilled professionals. This exercise is not meant to substitute for the recommendations of your personal physician, but to serve as a starting point for further investigation and education.