Symptom
A symptom is an indication of a disease or a change in condition that is reported by someone but is not observed by others. Examples of common symptoms include an itching sensation, pain, depression, and tiredness. Unlike a symptom, a sign can be observed by others (e.g., a rash) and is often clear evidence of an abnormal physical condition.
Some symptoms can be confirmed upon examination by a healthcare provider. For example, a doctor can confirm a patient's complaint of sensory loss in the hand painfully stimulating the hand and observing the response. Some signs (e.g., scratching) can indicate a certain symptom (e.g., itching sensation). A primary symptom is one that is an essential part of a disease, such as itching during chicken pox infection. A secondary symptom is one that is a result of the disease, but not an essential part of the disease, such as feeling depressed because of having chicken pox. The symptoms that cause a person to seek medical help are known as presenting symptoms. However, presenting symptoms are not always the first to appear. All healthcare providers should be aware that symptoms can be exaggerated on minimized depending on the context of the evaluation.
Some symptoms can be confirmed upon examination by a healthcare provider. For example, a doctor can confirm a patient's complaint of sensory loss in the hand painfully stimulating the hand and observing the response. Some signs (e.g., scratching) can indicate a certain symptom (e.g., itching sensation). A primary symptom is one that is an essential part of a disease, such as itching during chicken pox infection. A secondary symptom is one that is a result of the disease, but not an essential part of the disease, such as feeling depressed because of having chicken pox. The symptoms that cause a person to seek medical help are known as presenting symptoms. However, presenting symptoms are not always the first to appear. All healthcare providers should be aware that symptoms can be exaggerated on minimized depending on the context of the evaluation.
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Syndromes are a group of symptoms and signs that occur together and have a common cause, representing a certain disease or inherited abnormality. Symptom comes from the Greek word "symptoma" meaning "that which happens."