| System
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Examples
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| Constitutional symptoms (e.g., fever, weight loss)
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unexplained weight loss, night sweats, fatigue/malaise/lethargy, sleeping pattern, appetite, fever, itch/rash, recent trauma, lumps/bumps/masses, unexplained falls
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| Hematologic
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anemia, purpura
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| Allergic/immunologic/lymphatic
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| Endocrine
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Thyroid symptoms: Hyperthyroid - prefer cold weather, mood swings, sweaty, diarrhoea, oligomenorrhoea, weight loss despite increased appetite, tremor, palpitations, visual disturbances. Hypothyroid - prefer hot weather, slow, tired, depressed, thin hair, croaky voice, heavy periods, constipation, dry skin
Diabetes: polydipsia
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| Psychiatric
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depression, sleep patterns, anxiety
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| Neurological
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Special senses - any changes in sight, smell, hearing and taste, seizures, faints, fits, funny turns, headache, pins and needles (paraesthesiae) or numbness, limb weakness, poor balance, speech problems, sphincter disturbance, higher mental function and psychiatric symptoms
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| Eyes
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visual changes, headache, eye pain, double vision, scotomas (blind spots), floaters or "feeling like a curtain got pulled down" (retinal hemorrhage vs amaurosis fugax)
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| Cardiovascular
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chest pain, shortness of breath, exercise intolerance, PND, orthopnoea, oedema, palpitations, faintness, loss of consciousness, claudication
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| Respiratory
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cough, sputum, wheeze, haemoptysis
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| Ears, nose, mouth, and throat (ENT)
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Runny nose, frequent nose bleeds (epistaxis), sinus pain, stuffy ears, ear pain, ringing in ears (tinnitus), gingival bleeding, toothache, sore throat, pain with swallowing (odynophagia)
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| Gastrointestinal
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abdominal pain, unintentional weight loss, difficulty swallowing (solids vs liquids), indigestion, bloating, cramping, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea/constipation, inability to pass gas (obstipation), vomiting blood (haematemesis), bright red blood per rectum (BRBPR, hematochezia), foul smelling dark black tarry stools (melaena), dry heaves of the bowels (tenesmus)
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| Integumentary
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pruritus, rashes
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| Musculoskeletal
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pain, stiffness (morning vs day long, improves/worsens with activity), joint swelling, functional deficit, arthritis
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| Urinary
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Irritative vs Obstructive symptoms: Micturition - incontinence, dysuria, haematuria, nocturia, polyuria, hesitancy, terminal dribbling, decreased force of stream
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| Genital
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Vaginal - discharge, pain, Menses - frequency, regularity, heavy or light (ask about excessive use of pads/tampons, staining of clothes, clots always indicate heavy bleeding), duration, pain, first day of last menstrual period (LMP), gravida/para/abortus, menarche, menopause, contraception (if relevant), date of last smear test and result
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