Dictionary

Signs and symptoms

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

Mongolian spotsFlat, blue-gray patches of skin present at birth, now called congenital dermal melanocytosis.

moon faceA rounded, full, puffy face with fat padding in the cheeks.

murmurAn extra whooshing or swishing sound heard with a stethoscope over the heart, made by turbulent blood flow.

Murphy signA sudden catch in breathing, from pain, when the examiner presses under the right ribs while the person breathes in deeply.

myalgiaMuscle pain or aching.

myastheniaWeakness of the muscles.

mydriasisWidening (dilation) of the pupil of the eye.

nasal flaringWidening of the nostrils each time a person breathes in.

nauseaAn uneasy feeling in the stomach with the urge to vomit.

nausea and vomitingFeeling sick to the stomach together with throwing up.

necrosisThe death of cells or tissue in a part of the body.

Nikolsky signThe top layer of skin separates or slides off when nearby skin is gently rubbed or pressed.

nocturiaWaking up at night to urinate, more than once or more than is usual for the person.

noduleA small, firm, rounded lump of tissue that can be felt or seen, in or under the skin or in an organ.

nonspecificNot pointing to one cause or one disease.

numbnessLoss or reduction of feeling in a part of the body.

nystagmusRapid, repeated movements of the eyes that the person cannot control, side to side, up and down, or in circles.

obturator signPain in the lower abdomen when the client's bent right hip and knee are rotated inward.

oliguriaMaking less urine than normal, in an adult below about 400 mL a day.

olive-shaped massA small, firm, movable lump about the size and shape of an olive, felt in an infant's upper abdomen.

orthopneaDifficulty breathing when lying flat that eases when sitting or standing up.

orthostatic hypotensionA drop in blood pressure when a person stands up from lying or sitting.

Osler nodesSmall, tender, red or purple raised bumps on the pads of the fingers or toes.

overactivityMore activity than normal, in a person, an organ or a body system.

overloadMore of something than the body can handle; in nursing, most often too much fluid in the circulation.

oversedationA level of drowsiness deeper than intended from opioids or other sedating drugs.

pain assessmentA nurse's organized gathering of information about a client's pain: where it is, how bad it is, what it feels like and what changes it.

pallorSkin or mucous membranes that look paler than is normal for that person.

palpitationThe feeling of your own heartbeat as pounding, racing, fluttering or skipping.

panic attackA sudden wave of intense fear that peaks within minutes.

papuleA small, solid, raised bump on the skin, less than 1 cm across, with no fluid inside.

paralysisLoss of the ability to move a part of the body, and sometimes loss of feeling in it.

paresthesiaAn abnormal feeling in the skin, such as tingling, prickling or "pins and needles," with nothing touching it.

Pastia linesLines of tiny red spots in skin creases, such as the inner elbow and armpit, that do not fade when pressed.

patterned injuryAn injury whose shape shows the outline of the object that caused it, such as a hand, a belt or a cord.

Pemberton signRedness of the face and swelling of the neck veins that appear when a person raises both arms above the head for about a minute.

perioralAround the mouth.

peripheral neuropathyDamage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, most often in the feet and hands.

petechiaeTiny flat red or purple dots on the skin from small amounts of bleeding under the surface.

photophobiaDiscomfort or pain in the eyes caused by light; sensitivity to light.

pill-rolling tremorA rhythmic tremor in which the thumb rubs back and forth against the fingers, as if rolling a small pill.

pitting edemaSwelling in which pressing a finger into the skin leaves a dent that stays for a while after the finger is lifted.

pleuriticRelating to the pleura, the thin lining around the lungs; most often describes chest pain that worsens with breathing.

pleuritic chest painSharp chest pain that gets worse with a deep breath, coughing or sneezing.

poikilothermiaThe inability to keep a steady temperature, so the body or a body part takes on the temperature around it.

polydipsiaExtreme thirst, with drinking much more fluid than usual.

polyuriaPassing an abnormally large amount of urine, usually more than about 2.5 to 3 liters a day in an adult.

post-traumatic stress disorderA mental health condition that develops after a person lives through or sees a terrifying event.

productive coughA cough that brings up mucus or sputum from the lungs.

proteinuriaMore protein in the urine than normal.