Which statement best distinguishes a sign from a symptom?

• A. Sign and symptom are interchangeable.
• B. Sign is objective evidence observed by others; symptom is subjective experience reported by the patient.
• C. Sign is patient-reported; symptom is measured by clinician.
• D. Sign is always worse than a symptom; symptom is objective.

Answer: (B)

In clinical assessment, a sign is an objective finding—something you can observe or measure, such as a fever, rash, high blood pressure, or abnormal lab value. A symptom is the patient’s own report of how they feel, an internal experience like pain, fatigue, nausea, or dizziness. This distinction is why the best choice states that signs are objective evidence observed by others, while symptoms are subjective experiences reported by the patient. It’s important because signs can be verified with instruments or another observer, whereas symptoms depend on the patient’s description and perception, which can vary in intensity and may be influenced by individual factors. For example, a fever detected on thermometry is a sign; a patient’s report of a pounding headache is a symptom. The other ideas don’t fit because signs and symptoms aren’t interchangeable; signs aren’t solely patient-reported and symptoms aren’t something you measure directly as an objective finding; and there isn’t a rule that signs are inherently worse than symptoms.