Oirejakso

Oirejakso is a Finnish medical term meaning a symptom episode: a bounded period during which a patient experiences a distinct cluster of symptoms associated with a health condition. The concept emphasizes temporality rather than the underlying disease and is used across clinical specialties to describe episodic manifestations.

Used in psychiatry, neurology, and internal medicine, oirejakso can refer to mood episodes (such as depressive or manic/hypomanic episodes), psychotic episodes, convulsive episodes, or other symptom clusters. An episode typically has a recognizable onset and resolution or a change in symptom pattern, differentiating it from ongoing or chronic illness. The length can vary from minutes to days or longer, depending on the condition.

Assessment and documentation involve noting the onset, duration, symptom profile, severity, functional impact, possible triggers, and response to treatment. Recurrent episodes may lead to a formal diagnosis such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, or epilepsy, where the pattern of episodes is a key feature.

Management aims to reduce frequency and severity of episodes, improve functioning, and identify triggers. Approaches include pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, lifestyle measures, and supportive care, tailored to the underlying condition and episode type.

The term derives from Finnish oire meaning symptom and jakso meaning period or episode.