Dictionary

Signs and symptoms

What a client reports and what a nurse observes, named the way charts and handoffs name them.

lacerationA cut or tear in the skin or other tissue, often with jagged edges.

laryngospasmA sudden, involuntary closing of the vocal cords that partly or fully blocks air from entering the lungs.

lesionAn area of tissue that has been damaged or has changed from normal, such as a sore, wound, lump or spot.

lethargyA state of being very drowsy, slow and hard to keep awake, or having little energy.

Levine signA clenched fist held against the chest by a person describing chest pain.

Lhermitte signAn electric-shock feeling that runs down the back, and sometimes into the arms or legs, when the neck is bent forward.

lightheadednessA feeling of being faint or woozy, as if about to pass out.

localizedLimited to one area of the body, rather than spread through it.

low back painPain in the lower part of the back, between the bottom of the ribs and the buttocks.

lymphadenopathySwollen or enlarged lymph nodes.