The part of a medical consultation in which the doctor looks, feels, and listens to various parts of the patient’s body to assess the patient’s condition or to gather information to help make a diagnosis. Most examinations include palpation, by which the doctor examines relevant parts of the body for signs such as swelling, tenderness, or enlargement of organs. In some cases, percussion of the chest, or other parts of the body, may be performed by tapping with the fingers and then listening to the sound produced. Auscultation may be used to listen to blood flow through arteries and sounds made by the heart and lungs. The doctor may take the pulse or blood pressure, examine the eyes and ears, and assess the strength and coordination of the muscles.
Examination, physical |
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