Cliniagnosis

Cliniagnosis is a term used to describe the process of diagnosing a medical condition based on clinical signs and symptoms. It is the primary method of diagnosis in many healthcare settings, particularly when laboratory tests or imaging studies are unavailable, inconclusive, or not immediately necessary. Cliniagnosis relies heavily on the physician's knowledge, experience, and ability to gather information from the patient. This information is typically obtained through a thorough medical history, including questions about the patient's symptoms, their onset, duration, and severity, as well as their past medical history, family history, and lifestyle.

Following the history taking, a physical examination is performed. This involves the clinician using their senses and various diagnostic tools to observe, palpate, percuss, and auscultate the patient's body. The findings from the physical examination, combined with the patient's reported symptoms, form the basis for forming a differential diagnosis. This is a list of possible conditions that could explain the patient's presentation. Further investigations, such as blood tests, imaging, or other diagnostic procedures, may then be ordered to confirm or rule out these possibilities and arrive at a definitive diagnosis. In some cases, the clinical presentation is so characteristic that a diagnosis can be made solely on cliniagnosis without the need for further testing. This is especially true for common conditions with well-defined symptom profiles.