Symptom Helper is a tool which can provide valuable information on the symptoms that are being perceived. A symptom is an indication of a problem in the body, through deviations from normal body functioning, such as, pain, aches, itches etc. The symptoms are not a disease in themselves but only the manifestations of the disorders. Symptoms can be diverse in intensity, ranging from seemingly innocuous aches to acute pain. The mildness of a symptom does not imply that the existing disorder is mild and neither does its’ severity imply immense problems. The symptom that brings the patient to the doctor is called presenting complain and the symptom that ultimately leads to a diagnosis is called cardinal symptom.
Cognitive Content of Symptom Helper
It is generally not a single symptom that leads to a conclusive diagnosis as many of the symptoms, such as; fatigue, headache and general pain are common to a number of diseases. In fact, fatigue can also be experienced by a perfectly normal individual due to exertion. It is rather a set of symptoms, put together, that gives a final diagnosis. Symptom Helper has a comprehensive database of the symptoms, diseases and correct grouping of both. Some of the most common symptoms and their physiological explanations are given below.
Pain: Pain can be felt in different tissues of our body, such as; skin, muscle, internal organs etc. pain can also be caused by many factors ranging from temperature (hot and cold), electric current, chemical substances. The pain experienced in the muscles while dong a physical activity is different from the pain caused due to a disorder. When carbohydrate supply goes down the muscle burn proteins, the by-product of this process causes pain. Physiologically pain is sensed through two mechanisms. Nociceptive pain is felt due to the stimulation of pain receptors at nerve endings. These nerve endings are present all over the body, from the skin to the internal organs. The stimulation of this pain receptor maybe caused by a cut, inflammation etc. Non-nociceptive pain is caused by damage to the nerves. When a nerve, carrying impulses is injured, the signals being carried to the brain becomes erratic and faulty. This in turn causes pain. Infection of the nerve cells and deficiency of impulse transmitting nutrients also cause non-nociceptive pain.
Itches: Itching is a common occurrence which majorly occurs due to external interactions on the skin like dirt, dryness etc. In this type if itch, the sensing mechanism is similar to that of pain. The itch receptors present in the nerve endings of the skin transmit the signal to brain, the response to which is scratching the specific area. However, itches may also occur due to internal disorders in the body. They are generated due to nervous disorders and other blood related conditions. For example, itching occurs when the blood sugar level is high. For diabetes patients this is an imminent sign of uncontrolled blood sugar.
Bleeding: Besides the bleeding due to external injury, bleeding can also occur due to internal damages. When there is damage to the blood vessel or an internal organ, blood oozes out through any of the orifices in the body. Internal bleeding may occur due to damages from inside the blood vessel, on the walls of the blood vessel or from outside the blood vessels. This sort of bleeding may occur due to high blood pressure, allergies, tumors and also due to deficiency of essential nutrients like calcium (responsible for blood clotting). Nose bleeding, which is a common occurrence due to sinus infections may also, rarely, be due to liver and kidney diseases. The deficiency in platelets is another widely reported cause for bleeding. When a blood vessel ruptures inside the body due to high blood pressure or external injury, the platelets will initialize the clotting process thus preventing any further blood loss. But if the platelet count is low, the clotting takes a longer time and higher blood loss happens, which drains out through the body orifices.
How Symptom Helper actually Helps?
Symptom Helper is just an information tool and it can never replace the need for a qualified doctor. But we live in a knowledge driven society where people in general are well aware of the medical conditions and treatments. Knowing only a part of the subject is a drawback, leading to assumptions. When only little is known about a certain ailment and its symptom, experiencing one of its symptoms may cause needless fear. The Symptom Helper is a tool to provide that deficit knowledge. It helps in removing doubts about the experienced symptoms by providing a broad list, matching the various symptoms to possible diseases. Before taking an appointment with the doctor, Symptom Helper can be help the patient take an educated decision about the treatment; on where and when to go.
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