Dictionary

Signs and symptoms

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

tachycardiaA heart rate faster than normal; in an adult, more than 100 beats per minute.

tachypneaA breathing rate faster than normal, above 20 breaths per minute in an adult.

tendernessPain or discomfort that is felt when an area of the body is pressed or touched.

tetanyInvoluntary muscle cramps and spasms that come from nerves firing too easily.

thrillA buzzing or vibrating feeling felt with the fingertips over a blood vessel or the heart.

Tinel signTingling or pins and needles felt where a nerve goes when the skin over that nerve is tapped.

tinglingA prickling, "pins and needles" feeling in the skin.

tinnitusA ringing, buzzing, roaring or hissing sound in the ears that does not come from outside.

tremorShaking of a part of the body, such as the hands, in small rhythmic movements that the person cannot control.

triadA group of three things, such as three signs that occur together.

Trousseau signA spasm of the hand and wrist that appears when a blood pressure cuff on the upper arm is kept inflated for a few minutes.

twitchingSmall, quick movements of a muscle or part of a muscle that happen without control.