Symptoms are diagnostic indications of a disease, injury or condition. They can be felt or observed by a doctor, family member or even yourself. Some symptoms are objective, such as a skin rash or high blood pressure; others may be harder to detect, such as a feeling of fatigue or chest pain.
When describing your symptoms to your health care provider, be specific about when the problem started, how severe it is or how often it occurs. Also, share any major stressors or recent life changes that could be contributing to them. Your health care provider will use this information to make a diagnosis and determine the best treatment plan for you.
Some diseases or conditions do not show any symptoms at all, or they may only show in the later stages of a disorder. For example, high blood pressure is often asymptomatic until it becomes dangerously high. Other disorders, such as some cancers and some mental health problems, also show few or no symptoms, although each disorder has its own characteristic set of signs that help doctors diagnose them.
Some of the most serious symptoms are chest discomfort, a sensation of fullness, pressure or squeezing in the center of the chest that can last for a few minutes, and shortness of breath. If you think you are having a heart attack, seek emergency medical attention immediately. Every minute counts when it comes to a possible heart attack.