THE PATIENT’S SYMPTOM EXPERIENCE When considering the patient’s symptom experience it must be remembered that each symptom has unique dimensions for each individual person experiencing the symptom and that the subjective aspects of symptoms are not observable by another. The symptom experience is dynamic, involving the interaction of the patient’s perception of a symptom, his/her evaluation of the meaning of a symptom, and the patient’s response to a symptom. It is important to remember the patient’s symptom experience often includes objective dimensions—the objective manifestations that can be observed by others. For example, a patient’s symptom of ‘feeling weak’ can be also verified by others as a manifestation of weakness if the patient cannot walk steadily. It is important that both the manifestations (as observed by others) and the patient’s perception of the symptom be taken into account.