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Clinical Symptom Reference

Symptoms Directory A–Z

Search bodily symptoms, evaluate potential causes, understand red flags, and learn when symptoms require urgent medical care.

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Person sitting curled forward clutching painful abdomen and stomach cramps
Symptom

Abdominal Pain & Cramping

Pain perceived in the abdominal region originating from visceral, parietal peritoneal, or referred pain pathways. Visceral pain is dull and...

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Adult at dining table clutching sternum in pain from severe gastroesophageal acid reflux and heartburn
Symptom

Acid Reflux & Heartburn

Heartburn (pyrosis) is a substernal burning sensation radiating upwards toward the mouth, caused by retrograde flow of gastric acid and peps...

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Adult holding hand over chest experiencing sudden acute chest pain
Symptom

Chest Pain or Discomfort

Chest pain is discomfort, pressure, aching, or squeezing felt anywhere between the neck and upper abdomen. It represents one of the most cri...

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Exhausted adult fallen asleep at desk next to laptop suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome and weakness
Symptom

Chronic Fatigue & Weakness

Fatigue is a pervasive sense of tiredness, lack of energy, and physical or mental exhaustion that is not relieved by sleep or rest, distinct...

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Adult coughing intensely into bent arm elbow with severe chronic cough
Symptom

Chronic Persistent Cough

A cough that persists for 8 weeks or longer in adults (4 weeks in children). A defensive reflex triggered by irritation of cough receptors i...

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Adult bracing against a hallway wall with hand to forehead during acute vestibular vertigo and dizziness
Symptom

Dizziness, Vertigo & Lightheadedness

Dizziness encompasses true vertigo (rotational spinning sensation due to vestibular pathology), presyncope (feeling faint due to cerebral hy...

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Medical illustration depicting acute urinary frequency, dysuria, and bladder urgency
Symptom

Frequent Urination & Polyuria

Increased urinary frequency (voiding at abnormally brief intervals) or polyuria (daily urine output exceeding 3 Liters in adults). Driven by...

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Adult resting temples in hands suffering from severe migraine and throbbing tension headache
Symptom

Headache & Migraine Pain

Headache refers to pain or aching originating in the craniofacial structures sensitive to pain (dura mater, intracranial arteries, pericrani...

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Patient checking carotid artery pulse in neck with hand on chest feeling irregular heart palpitations
Symptom

Heart Palpitations & Rapid Pulse

Palpitations are an uncomfortable awareness of the heartbeat, described as fluttering, pounding, racing, or skipping beats. May be benign or...

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Sick patient in bed checking digital oral thermometer and cold compress for high fever
Symptom

High Fever & Chills

Fever (pyrexia) is a controlled elevation of core body temperature above the normal circadian range (>38.0°C or 100.4°F) mediated by hypotha...

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Adult massaging inflamed aching knee joint with arthritic stiffness and pain
Symptom

Joint Pain & Morning Stiffness

Arthralgia and joint inflammation affecting synovial joints. Differentiated clinically into non-inflammatory (mechanical, worsening with act...

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Adult standing and grasping painful lumbar lower back in acute lumbago muscle strain
Symptom

Lower Back Pain (Lumbago)

Pain, muscle tension, or stiffness localized below the costal margin and above the inferior gluteal folds, with or without leg pain (sciatic...

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Clinical diagnostic examination of lower leg pitting peripheral edema and swollen ankles
Symptom

Peripheral Edema & Leg Swelling

Palpable swelling in the lower extremities resulting from expansion of interstitial fluid volume. Can be unilateral (local vascular or lymph...

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Adult sitting up in distress holding neck and chest struggling to breathe with shortness of breath
Symptom

Shortness of Breath (Dyspnea)

Dyspnea is the subjective sensation of difficult, uncomfortable, or labored breathing out of proportion to exertion level. It indicates a mi...

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Clinical view of widespread itchy red allergic skin rash and erythematous hives
Symptom

Skin Rash & Itching (Pruritus)

An inflammatory reaction of the epidermis and dermis causing visible erythema, papules, plaques, vesicles, or urticarial wheals, often accom...

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