Diagnosis vs. Signs and Symptoms?

Question

Can somebody explain the difference between Diagnosis and Signs/Symptoms.

Answer 1

Diagnosis : the "cause" of signs / symptoms
Signs : Objective indications (seen by MD), such as vitals, skin
color, etc
Symptoms : things reported by patient; headache, chest pain, etc

Answer 2

Signs Vs Symptoms

Answer 3

Diagnosis means arriving at a conclusion about what is going on with a patient. This might mean declaring them healthy or finding a condition or disease.

Signs and symptoms are the indicators of something wrong in the body whether it has a physocal cause or not. Technically, a sign is something that can be objectively measured like a temperature, a pulse, or a rash. A symptom is what the patient perceives, like dizziness or a headache. Feeling feverish would be a symptom but having a temperature reading of 102.4F would be a sign.

Answer 4

There are two main definitions of diagnosis: 1) the art or act of identifying a disease from its signs and symptoms and 2) the decision reached by diagnosis. The first is actually the diagnostic process, or the process that the doctor goes through to reach a conclusion as to what is wrong based on the signs and symptoms, which are the clues. The second, or the decision reached by diagnosis means that the doctor has come to a conclusion about what is wrong, and this is the type of diagnosis that is indicated, for example, on medical insurance forms, such as "appendicitis." While going through the diagnostic process, the doctor also considers "differential diagnosis." That means that the doctor takes all the signs or symptoms, says, for example, well that seems like appendicitis, but stops to think what else could it be as well? Tests are ordered as part of the diagnostic process (definition #1) to come to the correct conclusion (definition #2). Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Symptoms = changes a patient experiences due to a disease. These are subjective findings. E.g. fatigue, nausea.

Signs = physical or psychological changes due to a disease in a patient that an observer notes. These are more objective findings. E.g. Incr heart rate (tachycardia)

Diagnosis = Based on history, signs, symptoms, and laboratory findings, a disease process that best explains the clinical picture is labeled a diagnosis. E.g. Pneumonia

Answer 6

A diagnosis is the conclusion one arrives at after comparing the signs and symptoms presented.

Answer 7

1. I have been diagnosed with different disabilities. I once self diagnosed with ADD and it turned out I was actually diagnosed with it in 4th grade. I was even diagnosed with a language processing disorder. I no longer do self diagnosing since it's the doctor's job and I could be wrong. 2. I think it depends on why the person is going for a diagnoses. I think mine was important because I was still in school and I needed help and my mom didn't fully understand me. She didn't know what I had and knew I had something but didn't know what it was. But the bad part is it keeps you from getting health insurance and joining the army. 3. I see everyone as normal and no different. My thoughts don't change when I hear they have something wrong with them. But I do believe some abuse things like spending less money for a bus pass when they can afford the whole thing or trying to cut in lines at Disneyland or Disney World just because they have that privilege for people with disabilities. 4. I don't understand why some feel the need to wave their label around. I think some put it in their signatures on the forum because they want to be understood better and not be mistaken as a troll or be seen as stupid and uneducated. I don't take the self diagnosed as seriously because I know for a fact they may not have what they claim to have and they think they do.