Signs
Objective or definitive evidence of an illness, perceived by the examiner.
Symptoms
change perceived by the patient, may or may not be confirmed by the examiner.
Diagnosis (Dx)
identification of a disease or condition by a scientific evaluation of physical signs, symptoms, history, tests, and procedures.
Prognosis
the predicted outcome of a disease
Acute disease
short and relatively severe course
Chronic disease
disease exists for a long time.
Inspection
The examiner uses eyes and ears to observe and listen to the patient.
Palpation
The examiner feels the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts with hands, which sometimes reveals deep abnormalities.
Percussion
The examiner taps the body with fingertips or fists to evaluate the size, borders, and consistency of the internal organs and to determine the amount of fluid in a body cavity.
Auscultation
The examiner listens for sounds in the body to evaluate the heart, blood vessels, lungs, intestines, or other organs. Performed most with a stethoscope.