SYMPTOM CHECKER HANDBOOK
Site: | BIOSOFT EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES - Authored by Dr Ananda Perera |
Course: | BIOSOFT HELP FILES |
Book: | SYMPTOM CHECKER HANDBOOK |
Printed by: | Guest user |
Date: | Thursday, 19 September 2024, 9:04 PM |
Description
THIS HANDBOOK GIVES YOU LOT OF INFORMATION FOR YOUR BENEFIT. WE FEEL SYMPTOM CHECKERS WILL BE AN ESSENTIAL TOOL IN FUTURE HEALTHCARE DELIVERY. SO PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY FOR YOU TO GET THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT FROM THIS TOOL
1. TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENTS
1. WHAT ARE SYMPTOM CHECKERS
2. WHAT IS THE STATE OF ART REGARDING THE SYMPTOM CHECKERS
3. INTRODUCTION TO THE MOBIOS SYMPTOM CHECKER
4. HOW TO RUN THE PROGRAM
5. HOW TO INTERPRETE THE OUTPUT
6. WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH SYMPTOM CHECKER
7. THE FUTURE OF SYMPTOM CHECKERS
8. GLOSSARY OF THE TERMS USED
2. HOW TO RUN THE PROGRAM
HOW TO RUN THE PROGRAM
1. Access the url of the program as follows :
https://247econsult.net/sc/cameosSC.php
2. Click the START button
3. You get the symptom panel which is an interview schedule :
Select the most relevant problem out of the following list which is shown in the CAPITALS in the interview schedule :
20 - 75 PHLEGM SYMPTOMS
76 - 294 BOWEL SYMPTOMS
295 SINGLE SYMPTOM SYNDROMES - if your main symptom is just only 1 of the following
296 - 328 FATIGUE
329 - 413 HEADACHE
414 - 454 BACKACHE
455 - 524 CVS MODULE
525 - 651 GENITAL SYMPTOMS
652 - 714 GYN MODULE
715 - 775 JOINT AND MUSCLES SYMPTOMS
776 - 836 EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS
Numbers refer to the item number in the interview schedule.
If you make a mistake don't worry you will not be able to enter your information into the system
4. Under each problem you are shown may more items required to make a diagnosis
5. Select what is correct for you. Leave others as it is
6. Do not select symptoms from other CATEGORIES of problems
7. Once you have entered all the symptoms click the button advice
8. You may save your data if you wish in which case you may retrieve your data later
9. DO NOT USE PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE DATA like name, age, gender, address etc as we do not require them
3. WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH SYMPTOM CHECKER
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THIS PROGRAM
1. You can make a self diagnosis of your problem
2. You may save your data for later retrieval
3. You can make a record of your symptoms for sharing with your physician
4. You can share the record with your pharmacist for the OTC drug therapy - That is Over The Counter drug therapy
5. You may claim for your medical care if you are covered by Insurance. You may need a digitally signed record from Dr Ananda Perera. Please call Dr Ananda Perera on 0740050139
6. If you use a unique username and password and run the program and save your data you may retrieve it later for further comparison or even to share with your personal physician
7. DO NOT USE PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE DATA like name, age, gender, address etc as we do not require them
4. GLOSSARY OF THE TERMS USED
GLOSSARY (DONE)
Acanthosis - This is a common feature seen in obese persons where there is blackening of arm pits and groins and neck
Allodynia - pain produced by mere touch sensation
Amblyopia - Is also called lazy eye which moves in or out when the good eye tends to look at things. Usually causes reduced vision
Anisometropia - Unequal focus between the two eyes causing poor vision
Ankle brachial index - The difference in the blood pressure of the ankle and the upper arm. This is measured by a hand held doppler scanner
Anticoagulants concurrent use - Anticoagulants are blood thinners - warfarin, enoxaprin
Amenorrhea - absence of menses/periods
Astigmatism - Astigmatism means both distant and near vision are blurry
Asplenia - This is disease state characterized by the absence of spleen or failure of spleen to carry out its normal tasks
Borborygmi - rumbling noises from the stomach
BRCA - BRCA is a gene which causes cancer in the females
Breast Biopsy - A piece of tissues from the breast is taken examined under microscope to look for evidence of disease
CAC score high - Coronary Artery Calcium score is a measure of calcification of coronary arteries which are the main blood supply for the heart. This assessment is done by CT scan of the heart
Cochlear implants - Hearing aid inserted by ENT surgeon to improve hearing problems
Coronary Artery Disease - This refers to all the diseases of the heart brought on by the blocking of the coronary artery.
Coronary artery is the main blood supply for the heart. When this is blocked one gets the commonly known diseases like heart attack, heart failure, angina etc. However you may have to know that you can still have coronary disease even without you having suffered from any of these known diseases. That means it can be silent and can cause you sudden death which anyway can be thought of as another manifestation of coronary artery disease
Catastrophizing - to consider the most dangerous and sinister disease rather than a common disease which is harmless. For instance when you get a headache you may think of brain tumor rather than a simple tension headache
Coitus - act of sexual intercourse
Colicky - is a description of pain where the intensity increases and decreases as in waves
Concurrent - happening together
Covary - two events happening together and change also together
Defecation - act of passing stools
Diabetes Gestational - A pregnant mother formerly without diabetes becoming a diabetic patient during pregnancy
Diabetes Mellitus - Is the full qualified name for diabetes. Diabetes comes in two forms called Type 1 or Insulin Dependent Diabetes and Type 2 diabetes or non-Insulin dependent diabetes
Diabetes Pregestational - A pregnant mother who had diabetes before becoming pregnant
Dog bites
"Major DOG BITES",
a. Single or multiple bites with bleeding on head, neck, face, chest, upper arms, palms, tips of fingers, toes and genitalia
b. Single or multiple deep bites with free flowing of blood on any part of the body
c. Multiple deep scratches with free flowing of blood on the head, neck and face
d. Contamination of mucous membranes with saliva
e. Bites of wild animals with bleeding
"Minor DOG BITES",
a. Single, superficial bite with oozing of blood or scratches with bleeding on any part of the body
b. Multiple scratches with oozing of blood on any part of the body
c. Nibbling of uncovered skin
d. Contamination of open wounds with saliva
e. Superficial bites and scratches of wild animals without bleeding
Differential Diagnosis - These are the diseases a doctor thinks of when you present with any given symptom. They are not what you are suffering from. You are having a diagnosis or a disease diagnosed by your physician.
Disability - The degree to which a persons daily functioning is less. 100% disability means a person is not doing anything which that person is supposed to do in the roles of a husband, wife, employer, employee, son, daughter, student etc. 0% disability is the person is normal. 50% disability means the persons is doing only 1/2 of what that person is used to do.
Dysmorphic features - Dysmorphic features are the obvious abnormalities seen in patients like fingers glued together,
webs in the neck, squints, tongue tie etc.
Disabling - interferes with day to day work and tasks
Disease
This is the named entity like pneumonia, COVID 19 etc. It is something which has a structure, form and effects on the human body. It can be seen, touched and felt. Contrast this with illness. See under illness.
ENT - Ear nose throat
Epigastrium - pit of the stomach
Extension - bending backwards
Eructation - symptom where you tend to burp
Esophageal - related to gullet
Farsightedness
Near vision is poor with normal distant vision
FDBR
First Degree Biologic Relatives. These are relationships confined to direct descendants or parents
Flatus - passing wind from the rectum
Flexion - bending forward
GC - Gonococcus bacteria which causes gonorrhea which is a disease passed through sexual contact
GERD - is a disease call Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease where your stomach contents backflows into the gullet. Usually this mentioned in the Endoscopy reports you may have as GERD or GORD
H. pylori infection
This is an infection seen when you are having gastric problems
Handicap
The degree to which a persons social life is less. 100% handicap means a person is not doing anything which that person
formerly dis like social interactions, leisure activity, hobbies, mixing with people in the society out of the roles of family, job
and education. 0% impairment is the person is normal. 50% impairment means the person is doing only 1/2 of what that person is used to do.
Healthcare Professionals
GP is a General practitioner, FP is a Family Physician, PCP is a primary care physician and most of the other specialists probably you know already. MOH is Medical Officer of Health, PHN Public Health Nurse, PHM is Public Health Midwife, PHI Public Health Inspector. These healthcare professionals are the accepted
FRONT LINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS anywhere in the world.
Heart disease chronic
These include common diseases known as heart failure, heart attack, angina, myocardial infarction, heart enlargement, atrial fibrillation, atrial fibrillation
Hereditary diseases
Hereditary diseases are those diseases which are determined by abnormalities in genes and run in the family. Examples are thalassemia, Down syndrome,
Homocysteine level high
This is an amino acid which occurs in the body as an intermediate product in the metabolism of methionine and cysteine. Problem with high homocysteine is that it can damage the inner lining of the blood vessels and also can make blood thicker which can cause clot formation in the vessels. Cause of high homocysteine levels are poor diet, poor lifestyle especially smoking and high coffee and alcohol intake, some prescription drugs, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and poor thyroid function.
hs-CRP level high
This is a blood test to detect high risk status for a heart attack
Hypercholesterolemia
High cholesterol levels in blood
Hyperalgesia - exaggerated pain from mild pain stimulus
Hypercoagulability
This is a state where your blood is thicker than usual and this occurs when blood clotting factors are high in the blood. In this state pulmonary embolism, venous blood clots, blood clot formation are known to occur commonly and cause rapid and acute onset diseases
Hyperlipidemia
High lipids in the blood and the lipids are cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol,
Hypertension
High blood pressure
Illness - is your experience of a disease. Usually it comprises symptoms but you may also complain of the disability and handicap. See under disability and handicap. People come to us with illness experience. Doctors are taught to unravel the disease from the illness.
Impairment
The degree to which a person is suffering from a disease. 100% impairment means very severe disease, 50% impairment moderately severe disease, 25% impairment mild disease.
Immunocompetent
Immunocompetence means one is able to fight back infections and allergens as usual. Many diseases and drugs can cause immuno incompetence. If you are a healthy adult with perfect mental health and not on alcohol nor on any drugs then most probably you are immunocompetent.
Immunodeficiency
A disease state where the ability to fight back infections is lost. The opposite state or the normal state is called immunocompetence
Insomnia - lack of sleep
Intermenstrual - in between two monthly menses
IP - Incubation Period. This is the duration between entry of a germ into the body and the first manifestation of any symptoms
IVS - irritative voiding syndrome - a diagnosis made by the system
Laxative overuse - use of stool softeners for constipation
Malaise - Feeling sick, out of sorts and not normal
Lipoprotein a level high
A blood test to detect high fat levels in the blood
Mammogram abnormality
Mammogram is a Xray like investigation done on the female breasts to visualize the soft tissues and thus to diagnose early breast cancer
Media Opacity
There is a visible opacity in the eye
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is present if three or more of the following five criteria are met :
waist circumference 40" or more in men or 35" in women, blood pressure above 130/85 mmHg,
fasting triglyceride (TG) level above 150 mg/dl, fasting high-density lipoprotein HDL cholesterol
level below 40 mg/dl in men or 50 mg/dl in women and fasting blood sugar over 100 mg/dl
Multifetal pregnancy
A pregnancy with twins or more babies in the uterus
MUS -Medically Unexplained Symptoms. These are the symptoms you experience which your attending doctors cannot explain by doing tests and scans etc
NED/MD - Nearly Every Day/Most of the day - an expression detailing your symptom
Neurocognitive impairments
Any problem with memory, language, thinking or judgment which affect one's day to day living and affairs
Nodules - small lumps
OTC - over the counter drugs. Drugs which can be bought from a pharmacy without a doctor's prescription
PCOS - diagnosis made by Gynecologists - Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOS or Polycystic ovary syndrome affect ovaries. It causes irregular periods, excess body hair in women, bubbly appearance of ovaries
PCT or Primary Care Therapeutics
This is a series of steps taken by primary care physicians to effect the process of healing in the patients who consult them at the community
Platelet aggregation inhibitor use
Commonly used class of drugs which include aspirin, persantin, clopidogrel, dipyramidole
Post exposure prophylaxis
Vaccination done after exposure to a known infection and before the infection manifests in the patient. Post exposure prophylaxis prevents the disease in the prospective client
Primary Care Physician
Primary care physician is the doctor whom you can see for majority of your health care needs and a doctor who will see you WHATEVER the disease, symptom, age or your sex is. They also help you to integrate your care. Care integration include care continuity and care coordination with comprehensiveness. Comprehensive care is just what we said. Care continuity and care coordination are terms applied for the healthcare which is very complex and mostly focused on Non communicable diseases and other chronic diseases.
Pulmonary embolism
Means a blood clot is formed in the blood somewhere in the body and mostly in the legs and it is passed through from the heart to the lungs
Pelvic pain - pain on the lower abdomen, groin, genital area, buttocks and around the hips
Perseveration - act of repetition without a reason
Postprandial - after meals
Renal disease chronic
Chronic kidney diseases resulting in kidney failure
Repetitive strain injury - any pain coming after repeated movements done for a given task
Reproductive age - age from puberty until menopause
Satellite points - similar areas around
Sexual behaviors high risk
Having multiple sex partners, having sex with a person who is having multiple partners, sex for money, sex for drugs, sex with potential physical injury
Shortsightedness
Near vision is normal with distant vision poor
Splenectomy
A surgery where the spleen is removed
STI - class of diseases called Sexually Transmitted Infections passed through sexual contact. Sexually Transmitted Infections are a collection of diseases caused by infectious agents being transmitted from sexual contact.
Susceptibility for infection
Susceptibility for any infection mentioned in this app means contacts with cases, exposed to infected patients, un-vaccinated, partially vaccinated, unknown vaccination status,
Stomach abnormality negative - This is mentioned in the Endoscopy report you get after a tube is passed down your throat
Test - names ae given. Most of the time they mentioned in your reports.
Testes - male genitals inside the scrotum
Thoracic spine - part of the spine from shoulder blades up to the hip region
Timed up and go test positive
The Timed Up and Go test (TUG)
This is a no cost test done measure mobility which is a very costly affair in terms of health care. It is simply the time it takes
a person to rise from a chair and walk upto 3 meters and take a 180 degree turn and come back to the chair and then turn 180
degrees and sit in the chair. The test is done with all the usual aids a person use for walking if they are used. Time less than
10 secs normal, 11-20 secs frailty, More than 20 means needs assistance and more than 30 means high risk for falls
Trigger points - touching one point in a muscle cause severe pain to spread around
Urethral discharge - discharge coming from the urinary passages
Venous blood clots
See under hypercoagulability