Medical Terms With Definitions Describing Clinical Signs and Symptoms

Amenorrhoea

Absence or cessation of menstrual periods.

Anorexia

Loss of appetite.

Anuria

Failure of the kidneys to produce urine.

Arthralgia

Pain in a joint.

Ascites

Accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity causing abdominal swelling.

Ataxia

Shaky movements and unsteady gait caused by the brain’s failure to regulate the body’s posture and the strength and direction of limb movements.

Bruxism

Habit of grinding the teeth, usually during sleep.

Cachexia

A general weight loss, weakness and wasting associated with chronic disease.

Claudication

Limping, usually referring to intermittent claudication.
Intermittent claudication is a cramping leg pain which is induced by exercise and relieved by rest. It is caused by an insufficient supply of blood to the affected muscles.

Convulsion

Involuntary contraction of muscles producing contortion of the body and limbs.

Cyanosis

Bluish-purple discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes resulting from an inadequate amount of oxygen in the blood.

Dysmenorrhoea

Painful menstruation.

Dyspareunia

Painful or difficult sexual intercourse experienced by a woman.

Dyspepsia

Dyspepsia, also known as indigestion which causes pain or discomfort in the lower chest or abdomen.

Dysphagia

Difficulty in swallowing.

Dyspnoea

Difficulty in breathing.

Dysuria

Difficult or painful urination.

Enuresis

Involuntary passing of urine.

Epistaxis

Nosebleed.

Febrile

Relating to or affected with fever.

Flatulence

Excess amount of gas in the stomach and intestines.

Haematemesis

Vomiting of blood.

Haematuria

Presence of blood in the urine.

Haemoptysis

Coughing up of blood.

Hoarseness

Voice changes e.g. rough or harsh in sound.

Hypoxaemia

Abnormally low levels of oxygen in the arterial blood.

Jaundice

Yellowing of skin or whites of the eyes, indicating excess bilirubin in the blood.

Malaise

General feeling of being unwell which may be accompanied by identifiable physical discomfort and may indicate the presence of disease.

Melaena

Black tarry faeces due to the presence of partly digested blood from higher up the digestive tract.

Menorrhagia

Excessive heavy bleeding occurring at menstruation, which may be associated with excessively long periods.

Micturition

Urination.

Myalgia

Pain in the muscles.

Nausea

Feeling one is about to vomit.

Nocturia

Need to wake up during the night to pass urine.

Odynophagia

Pain on swallowing.

Oedema

Excessive accumulation of fluid in the body tissues.

Oliguria

Production of an abnormally small volume of urine.

Orthopnoea

Breathlessness that prevents the patient from lying down, so that the patient has to sleep propped up in bed or sitting in a chair.

Orthostatic hypotension

Low blood pressure that occurs when standing up from sitting or lying down.

Otalgia

Earache.

Pallor

Abnormal paleness of the skin.

Paraesthesia

Spontaneously abnormal tingling sensations. It is sometimes described as pins and needles.

Pharyngitis

Inflammation of the pharynx.

Polydipsia

Excessive thirst, leading to the drinking of large quantities of fluid.

Polyuria

Production of large volumes of urine.

Pruritus

Itching.

Purulent

Forming, consisting of, or containing pus.

Pyrexia

Fever.

Rhinitis

Inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane.

Rhinorrhoea

Persistent watery mucous discharge from the nose.

Rigor

Abrupt attack of shivering and feeling cold, accompanied by a rapid rise in body temperature which often marks the onset of a fever.

Splenomegaly

Enlargement of the spleen.

Steatorrhoea

Passage of abnormal increased amounts of fat in the faeces due to the reduced absorption of fat by intestine.

Stridor

Noise heard on breathing (high pitched sound) when the trachea or larynx is obstructed.

Syncope

Fainting.

Tachypnoea

Rapid breathing.

Tinnitus

Sensation of sounds in the ears or head in the absence of external sound.

Xerostomia

Dry mouth.