Jonah Patel
Signs and symptoms are diagnostic indications of an illness, injury, or condition. While signs are objective and externally observable, symptoms are subjective and experienced by the individual. For example, a rash, abnormal gait, or a high temperature are signs, whereas pain, dizziness, and fever are symptoms. Constitutional symptoms, also referred to as general symptoms, affect the overall well-being or the whole body, such as in the case of rheumatoid arthritis.
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What You'll Learn
- Vital signs: temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
- Signs are externally observable, while symptoms are subjective experiences
- Signs and symptoms are not mutually exclusive
- A set of signs and symptoms associated with a disorder is called a syndrome
- Signs and symptoms may be mild or severe, brief or longer-lasting
Vital signs: temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
Constitutional symptoms are those that affect the general well-being or the whole body. For instance, rheumatoid arthritis is a disease with constitutional symptoms.
Vital signs are a set of four signs that can give an immediate measurement of the body's overall functioning and health status. They are:
- Temperature: A higher or lower temperature than normal can be a sign of disease.
- Heart rate: An abnormal heart rate can indicate a problem with the cardiovascular system.
- Breathing rate: An irregular breathing rate can be a sign of respiratory issues.
- Blood pressure: Raised or lowered blood pressure can indicate a variety of health problems.
The ranges of these measurements vary with age, weight, gender, and general health. For example, a fever, coupled with night sweats and weight loss over six months, are signs associated with lymphoma and indicate a poor prognosis.
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Signs are externally observable, while symptoms are subjective experiences
Signs and symptoms are diagnostic indications of an illness, injury, or condition. They are often non-specific, but some combinations can be suggestive of certain diagnoses, helping to narrow down what may be wrong. A particular set of characteristic signs and symptoms that may be associated with a disorder is known as a syndrome.
Signs are objective and externally observable. They can be visible, such as a rash or bruise, or otherwise detectable using a stethoscope or by taking blood pressure. Some examples of signs are nail clubbing of either the fingernails or toenails or an abnormal gait. Vital signs are the four signs that can give an immediate measurement of the body's overall functioning and health status: temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure.
Symptoms, on the other hand, are subjective and experienced by the individual. They are something out of the ordinary that is felt or experienced, such as pain, dizziness, or a headache. A symptom is something an individual might report, such as feeling feverish, which can then be noted as a sign by using a thermometer that registers a high reading.
Signs and symptoms are not mutually exclusive. They often work together to help form a diagnosis. For example, a cough, fever, and Koplik's spots in the mouth are signs and symptoms that suggest the presence of measles before further specific symptoms emerge.
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Signs and symptoms are not mutually exclusive
Signs and symptoms are diagnostic indications of an illness, injury, or condition. Signs are objective and observable, whereas symptoms are subjective experiences reported by the patient. For example, a high or low body temperature is a sign, whereas a subjective feeling of feverishness is a symptom.
However, signs and symptoms are not always distinct from one another. A subjective feeling of feverishness can be verified as a sign by using a thermometer that registers a high reading. This illustrates how a symptom (the patient's subjective experience of feeling feverish) can also be a sign (an objective indication of a higher-than-normal body temperature).
Vital signs, which include temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure, can provide an immediate assessment of the body's overall functioning and health status. These measurements can be taken during a physical examination and used, along with reported symptoms, to help form a diagnosis.
Signs and symptoms are often non-specific, meaning they can be associated with various conditions. However, certain combinations of signs and symptoms can be suggestive of specific diagnoses, helping to narrow down potential causes. For example, a particular set of characteristic signs and symptoms associated with a disorder is known as a syndrome.
Additionally, some signs and symptoms are very specific and can be pathognomonic, meaning they are indicative of a particular disease. For example, abnormal reflexes can be a sign of problems with the nervous system. Constitutional symptoms, such as those associated with rheumatoid arthritis, are general symptoms that affect overall well-being or the whole body.
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A set of signs and symptoms associated with a disorder is called a syndrome
The word "syndrome" is derived from the Greek word "sun-together and dramein-to-run", which results in "syndrome". It can also be derived from the Greek word "sundrom", which means "concurrence of symptoms", or "sundromos", which means "running together". In modern medical contexts, a syndrome is a group of symptoms that collectively indicate or characterise a disease, psychological disorder, or other abnormal conditions.
Constitutional symptoms are a common manifestation of a disease. These symptoms include profound fatigue, anorexia, weight loss, and low-grade fever. They are especially common during periods of active disease. In addition, depression may develop, usually as a reaction to the severe pain, stiffness, and malaise that limit physical activities. In some cases, constitutional symptoms may be a sign of a serious systemic illness, such as a primary tumour, metastatic disease, connective tissue diseases, or hypothyroidism. For example, patients ultimately diagnosed with cSLE frequently report constitutional symptoms such as fever, fatigue, anorexia, weight loss, alopecia, and arthralgias.
It is important to note that the presence of constitutional symptoms should prompt further investigation to determine the underlying cause, especially in patients who do not respond to corticosteroids. Additionally, constitutional symptoms are particularly concerning in immunocompromised patients or those with risk factors for infection, such as recent bacterial infections or injection drug use.
The term "syndrome" is frequently used in medical discussions, patient records, and literature. However, clinicians should use the term carefully and provide clear descriptions of the features and rationale for using the term. The development of electronic medical records and advanced statistical techniques can help clarify the important features of syndromes.
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Signs and symptoms may be mild or severe, brief or longer-lasting
Signs and symptoms are diagnostic indications of an illness, injury, or condition. They may be mild or severe, brief or longer-lasting. Signs are objective and externally observable, while symptoms are subjective and experienced by the individual. For example, a rash or a fever are signs, whereas dizziness and pain are symptoms.
Vital signs, including temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure, can provide an immediate measurement of the body's overall functioning and health status. These measurements vary with age, weight, gender, and general health. They can be used to detect visible signs, such as a rash, or they may be detected through the use of medical equipment, such as a stethoscope.
Signs and symptoms are often non-specific, but certain combinations can suggest particular diagnoses. A set of characteristic signs and symptoms associated with a disorder is known as a syndrome. When a disease is evidenced by symptoms, it is known as symptomatic, whereas conditions that display no symptoms are termed asymptomatic.
Some diseases have an early prodromal stage, where certain signs and symptoms may suggest the presence of a disorder before more specific symptoms emerge. For example, measles may present with a cough, fever, and Koplik's spots in the mouth before the appearance of the measles rash.
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Frequently asked questions
Constitutional signs are diagnostic indications of an illness, injury, or condition. They are objective and externally observable. For example, a high or low body temperature, abnormal reflexes, or a rash.
A sign is something that can be observed by another person, such as a doctor, during a physical examination. A symptom, on the other hand, is subjective and refers to something felt or experienced by the individual, such as pain or dizziness.
Yes, constitutional signs, along with symptoms, can help form a diagnosis. They are often non-specific but some combinations of signs and symptoms can suggest certain diagnoses. For example, a triad of constitutional signs may be indicative of a particular disorder or syndrome.
