Signs and symptoms

Infection and inflammation of the lacrimal sac, the pouch at the inner corner of the eye that drains tears into the nose.

An empty, hollow feeling in the lower right abdomen when it is pressed.

A noisy, gurgling or rattling sound with breathing in the last hours or days of life.

An abnormal body position with the arms and legs held stiff and straight, the arms turned inward and the toes pointed.

The point at which an organ or the body can no longer make up for a disease, so it stops working well enough.

An abnormal body position with the arms bent in toward the chest, the hands clenched into fists and the legs held stiff and straight.

A body part that is out of its normal shape or position.

A state in which the body has lost more water than it has taken in.

A sudden state of confusion and poor attention that comes and goes over hours or days.

A firm, false belief that a person holds onto even when there is clear proof against it.

Heavy sweating, more than expected for the temperature or activity.

Loose or watery stools, usually three or more times a day or more often than normal for the person.

The bottom number in a blood pressure reading: the lowest pressure in the arteries, while the heart relaxes between beats.

Breath sounds that are quieter or harder to hear than normal when listening to the lungs with a stethoscope.

Seeing two images of a single object; double vision.

The release of a client from a hospital or care setting; also, fluid that flows out of a body part.

Stretched out and enlarged by pressure from inside, such as from gas, fluid or urine.

Swelling or stretching of a body part from pressure inside it.

Serious physical or emotional suffering or strain.

A small pouch that bulges outward from the wall of a hollow organ, most often the colon; the plural is diverticula.

A feeling of being lightheaded, unsteady or off balance, or that the room is spinning.

Movement of the eyes in the opposite direction when the head is turned, so the eyes seem to stay looking straight ahead.

Fluid that flows out of a wound, body cavity or tube, or the removal of that fluid.

To sag or hang down lower than normal.

Feeling sleepy or less alert than usual.

A feeling that the mouth is too dry because there is not enough saliva.

Skin that lacks moisture and feels rough, flaky or tight; the medical word is xerosis.

Slurred, slow or hard-to-understand speech because the muscles used to speak are weak or poorly controlled.

Movements of the body that a person cannot control, such as twisting, jerking or chewing motions.

Painful menstrual periods.

Pain during or after sexual intercourse.

Discomfort or burning in the upper belly, often with fullness, bloating or nausea after eating.

Difficulty swallowing.

Difficulty speaking or understanding spoken or written language, caused by damage to the brain.

Difficult or labored breathing, or the feeling of not getting enough air.

A heart rhythm that is not normal: too fast, too slow or irregular.

Muscle contractions that a person cannot control, which twist part of the body into an unusual position.

Pain, burning or discomfort when passing urine.