A symptom is physical evidence of a disease or illness experienced by a person. An example is nausea. There are many different symptoms that can be experienced.

Pain, breathlessness, fatigue and anorexia (poor appetite) are experienced by many people who have a life-limiting illness. These may not be the same from person to person. They may be mild in some cases or more severe in others.

Always talk to a health professional about any symptoms that are being experienced. It is also important for them to know if any symptoms get worse or if they improve. This may affect what medications or other therapies are needed.

A symptom diary can be used to record any symptoms, when they occurred and what was done.

Resources

• Palliative Care Victoria provides further information on specific symptoms and symptom management that may be of help. They also have leaflets on the following topics:
  • Pain and pain management
  • Fatigue and exhaustion
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Anorexia in advanced illness (loss of appetite) 
  • Confusion and terminal restlessness.
• The Candian Virtual Hospice has developed a simple Symptom Diary that can be used to record symptoms and actions taken. 
• The Cancer Council of SA provides a resource on sexuality and cancer that may be helpful and applies to other illnesses other than cancer.
• The Canadian Virtual Hospice provides a comprehensive overview of many symptoms that people may experience and tips for managing them.

Related CareSearch pages
Pain
Complementary therapies
Some of the more common therapies

This page was created on 26 May 2009 and is due for review in May 2011
Last updated 24 June 2009