Our bodies often let us know there is something not quite right, but are we listening? Too often in life, with hectic day-to-day schedules, getting the kids to school and so on, we cannot be troubled by these little warning signs. So we often just take a pill to mask the pain and get on with our lives. But is this the best way to react to a warning signal?

If the smoke alarm shrilled in your home, what would you do? I hope you would get out as quickly as possible and determine if you need to call for emergency services. Would you say to yourself, “maybe it will go away?” I hope not. And if there were a fire, would stopping the alarm help put out a raging inferno? Probably not.

What if the alarm started to give little beeps (letting you know to change the battery)? Would you change it with a fresh one or just remove it from the device?

I think most homeowners know the answers to these simple questions. And you would think that we would give the same correct concern when our bodies give us warning signals.

Unfortunately we often pay more attention to warning signs from our homes and automobiles (like that little clicking sound), than the most important house of all: our bodies.

When your neck muscles ache, this is a signal. When you turn your head and hear clicking sounds, that is another signal. And when a headache occurs, the signal is getting louder and louder. But are we listening?

It’s better to think of these signals as just that, signals—not the actual problem. When you take a drug to stop the signal, rarely is the actual problem being addressed.

So how are your signals and alarms?

Do you seem to take medications on a weekly or daily basis? A headache pill here and there is rarely an issue. But incorporating pain pills as part of your daily diet may be a health concern as they are not considered one of the essential food groups. Side effects from these types of medications are rare, but their risks do increase with long-term use. Do you go through a small bottle each month?

Are you ignoring your body’s signals that something is wrong?