The symptoms of an illness, injury, or condition can vary widely, and they can be categorized as signs or subjective experiences. Signs are objective and externally observable, while symptoms are a persons reported subjective experiences. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include both specific and nonspecific symptoms. Specific symptoms are directly associated with a particular condition, while nonspecific symptoms are not specific to a particular condition and may include unexplained weight loss, headache, pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, night sweats, and malaise.
For example, the symptoms of COVID-19, as reported by the CDC, include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. Its important to note that this list does not include all possible symptoms, and symptoms may change with new COVID-19 variants.
Other sources, such as the Mayo Clinic and WebMD, provide symptom checkers to help individuals understand what their medical symptoms could mean and to provide trusted information about various symptoms.
In the case of the flu, symptoms may include fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, and in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea. Its important to note that not everyone with the flu will have a fever.
In summary, symptoms can vary widely depending on the specific illness, injury, or condition, and its important to consult with a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
