What are some examples of symptoms? A comprehensive guide

September 26, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms are subjective experiences perceived only by the individual, and they can vary significantly from person to person. Understanding what are some examples of symptoms is a crucial step toward recognizing potential health issues and communicating effectively with healthcare providers.

Quick Summary

Symptoms are subjective indicators of a health issue, such as pain, fatigue, or nausea, which are felt by an individual. They are distinct from objective signs, like a rash or fever, that can be observed by others. Understanding the difference helps individuals better describe their health concerns to doctors.

Key Points

Symptom vs. Sign: Symptoms are subjective (what you feel, like pain), while signs are objective (what can be observed, like a fever).
Systemic Symptoms: Examples like fatigue and fever are general indicators of the body fighting an illness.
Respiratory Issues: Common respiratory symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing, and a sore throat.
Digestive Distress: Nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain are common digestive symptoms.
Mental Well-being: Mental health symptoms, such as anxiety and extreme mood changes, are just as valid as physical ones and require attention.
When to See a Doctor: Persistent, severe, or unexplained symptoms warrant a consultation with a healthcare professional.

Understanding the Basics: Symptoms vs. Signs

Before diving into specific examples, it's essential to understand the distinction between a symptom and a sign. This distinction can significantly affect how you describe a health problem to your doctor.

Symptoms: These are subjective experiences, feelings, or sensations reported by the person experiencing them. A healthcare provider cannot observe or measure a symptom directly. Examples include pain, nausea, fatigue, or dizziness.
Signs: These are objective, observable evidence of a disease or condition that can be seen by others or detected through medical tests. Examples include a fever, a rash, abnormal lab results, or swelling.

Healthcare professionals use both your reported symptoms and their observed signs to form a complete picture and make an accurate diagnosis.

Categorizing Symptoms by Body System

Symptoms can be broadly categorized based on the body system they affect. Here are some examples:

General or Systemic Symptoms

These affect the entire body and are not specific to one organ or system. They are often a response to infection or general malaise.

Fatigue: A feeling of persistent tiredness or lack of energy.
Fever: Feeling excessively warm or feverish.
Muscle Aches: Widespread pain in the muscles.
Night Sweats: Excessive sweating during sleep.
Unexplained Weight Loss: Losing a significant amount of weight without trying.

Respiratory Symptoms

These relate to the lungs, throat, and breathing passages.

Shortness of Breath (Dyspnea): Difficulty catching your breath or feeling like you can't get enough air.
Sore Throat: Pain or irritation of the throat, often associated with infection.
Cough: A common reaction to irritation in the airways.
Chest Pain: Discomfort or tightness in the chest, which may indicate a variety of issues, from mild to serious.

Digestive Symptoms

These involve the gastrointestinal tract and are often related to diet or infection.

Nausea: A feeling of sickness with an urge to vomit.
Diarrhea: Loose, watery stools.
Abdominal Pain: Discomfort or pain in the stomach area.
Heartburn: A burning sensation in the chest due to acid reflux.
Constipation: Difficulty or infrequency in passing stools.

Neurological Symptoms

These pertain to the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.

Headache: A persistent ache in the head.
Dizziness (Vertigo): A feeling of unsteadiness or spinning.
Numbness or Weakness: A loss of sensation or strength, often in the arms or legs.
Confusion: Disoriented thinking or problems with concentration.

Mental Health Symptoms

Mental and emotional well-being is a critical component of overall health. Symptoms here can be just as impactful as physical ones.

Excessive Worrying or Fear: Constant anxiety that interferes with daily life.
Extreme Mood Changes: Uncontrolled emotional shifts, from highs to lows.
Irritability: Prolonged feelings of anger or frustration.
Changes in Sleeping or Eating Habits: Insomnia, oversleeping, changes in appetite.
Social Withdrawal: Avoiding friends and social activities.

Comparison of Symptoms vs. Signs


Feature	Symptoms	Signs
Nature	Subjective, perceived by the individual	Objective, observable by others
Observer	The patient	Healthcare provider, family, friends
Example	Pain, fatigue, nausea, anxiety	Fever, rash, swelling, high blood pressure
Diagnosis Role	Guides the initial direction of inquiry	Provides physical and measurable evidence
Dependence	Depends on patient self-report	Can be detected without patient report
Variability	Can differ greatly between individuals with the same illness	Generally more consistent for a given condition

Seeking Medical Advice

Recognizing symptoms is the first step, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. While some symptoms may indicate minor issues, others can signal serious underlying conditions. For instance, a persistent cough may be a cold, but it could also point to a more significant respiratory issue. Similarly, fatigue can stem from simple stress but could also indicate a more serious problem like anemia, diabetes, or heart disease.

It is crucial to be descriptive and provide as much detail as possible to your doctor. Mention when the symptom started, what makes it better or worse, and how it impacts your daily activities. For more detailed information on communicating with healthcare providers, you can read the National Institute on Aging's guide on "What Do I Need to Tell the Doctor?"(https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/medical-care-and-appointments/what-do-i-need-tell-doctor).

Conclusion

Symptoms are the body's warning system, and listening to them is paramount for maintaining good health. Examples range from general feelings of fatigue to specific problems like abdominal pain or chest discomfort. While self-diagnosing can be tempting, particularly with the amount of information available online, it is always best to consult a healthcare professional. They can interpret your symptoms in context with your medical history and other objective signs to reach an accurate diagnosis and develop a proper treatment plan. Paying attention to your body and communicating your subjective experiences clearly is the foundation of proactive healthcare.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main difference is observability. A symptom is a subjective experience that only the patient can feel or describe, such as pain or dizziness. A sign is an objective, measurable observation that can be detected by a healthcare professional, such as a rash, swelling, or a high temperature.

Yes, absolutely. As noted by the Cleveland Clinic, two people with the same condition can experience different symptoms. One person might report fatigue, while another reports back pain, even with the same underlying disease.

Symptoms related to mental health can include excessive worrying, prolonged irritability, extreme mood changes, and significant changes in sleep or eating habits. Social withdrawal and difficulty concentrating are also key indicators.

An asymptomatic condition is one that has no noticeable symptoms. A person may have the disease without being aware of it. High blood pressure is a classic example of a condition that can be asymptomatic for years, often discovered only during a routine check-up.

Doctors act like detectives, gathering clues by documenting your symptoms and asking detailed questions about them. They combine this subjective information with objective signs from physical exams and tests to create a 'differential diagnosis'—a list of possible conditions—and narrow it down to the most likely cause.

You should consider seeing a doctor if your symptoms are severe, persistent, or worsening, or if they are impacting your ability to carry out daily activities. Sudden or concerning symptoms, such as severe chest pain, shortness of breath, or numbness on one side of the body, warrant immediate medical attention.

Acute symptoms appear suddenly and are often severe, like those from a common cold. Chronic symptoms are long-lasting and develop slowly over time, such as chronic pain or the symptoms of seasonal allergies.