signs vs symptoms

Other signs and symptoms;-

Through out the previous posts about the most popular signs and symptoms, we didn’t give clear definitions of these terms nor differentiate clearly between them.
So what is the difference between the terms (sign) and (symptom)?
Sign: is a clear distinctive character of that can be noticed by the patient, family, and friends and off course the medical team; also it’s not necessary to be pathological signs (delivery signs and pregnancy sings).
Symptom is pathologic evidence that can be felt only by the patient and / or revealed by lab result or other investigational tools.
Famous non specific symptoms have been discussed in earlier posts;
-Dizziness and Vertigo .
-Nausea,Vomiting, Diarrhea, Constipation, Hyperacidity and Colic.
-Chronic Pain, Acute Pain And (Head Pain) Headache.
-Fever and High Temperature
Other famous symptoms are more specific symptoms like,
- Peripheral neuroses which usually indicate either (vit-B12 deficiency or D.M complications).
- Weight loss and anorexia which could be a symptom of (depression or worm infection).
-  Bloody stool which is an indication of Entameba Histolytica infection.
- Melina (dark bloody stool) which is an indication G.I.T serious diseases like ( liver cirrhosis or perforated peptic ulcer).
- Respiratory symptoms like;-
 1- Cough which can be dry due to allergic bronchitis or productive due to infection bronchitis.
 2- Chest wheezing which is a symptom of asthma.
 3- Respiratory distress which can be a symptom of poisoning.
- Central nervous symptoms like disorientation, hallucination, mania, irritability and coma.
- Urinary system symptoms like (nocturnal enuresis, urgent enuresis and renal colic).
All of the above are given as examples only; there are many other symptoms that are not listed in our posts, but this just to realize importance of symptoms and their role in diagnosis.
A role which has to be confirmed by other investigational tools like rays and lab testes.