Which abbreviation denotes Signs and symptoms?

• A. sx
• B. SHx
• C. s/s
• D. Rx

Answer: (C)

Knowing how medical abbreviations distinguish what a clinician observes versus what a patient reports helps you read notes quickly and accurately. Signs are objective findings you can observe or measure (fever, rash, pallor), while symptoms are subjective experiences reported by the patient (pain, dizziness, fatigue). The abbreviation that explicitly encompasses both is s/s, which stands for signs and symptoms. That’s why it’s the best answer here: it signals that the note includes both what is observed and what the patient describes. In contrast, sx denotes symptoms only, SHx is social history, and Rx is a prescription.