Sandbox:physical examination

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:

Overview

  • Patients with [disease name] usually appear [general appearance]. Physical examination of patients with [disease name] is usually remarkable for [finding 1], [finding 2], and [finding 3].
  • Common physical examination findings of [disease name] include [finding 1], [finding 2], and [finding 3].
  • The presence of [finding(s)] on physical examination is diagnostic of [disease name].
  • The presence of [finding(s)] on physical examination is highly suggestive of [disease name].

Physical Examination

  • Physical examination of patients with [disease name] is usually remarkable for:[finding 1], [finding 2], and [finding 3].
  • The presence of [finding(s)] on physical examination is diagnostic of [disease name].
  • The presence of [finding(s)] on physical examination is highly suggestive of [disease name].

Appearance of the Patient

  • Patients with [disease name] usually appear [general appearance].

Vital Signs

  • High-grade / low-grade fever
  • Hypothermia / hyperthermia may be present
  • Tachycardia with regular pulse or (ir)regularly irregular pulse
  • Bradycardia with regular pulse or (ir)regularly irregular pulse
  • Tachypnea / bradypnea
  • Kussmal respirations may be present in _____ (advanced disease state)
  • Weak/bounding pulse / pulsus alternans / paradoxical pulse / asymmetric pulse
  • High/low blood pressure with normal pulse pressure / wide pulse pressure / narrow pulse pressure

Skin

HEENT

  • Abnormalities of the head/hair may include ___
  • Evidence of trauma
  • Icteric sclera
  • Nystagmus
  • Extra-ocular movements may be abnormal
  • Pupils non-reactive to light / non-reactive to accomodation / non-reactive to neither light nor accomodation
  • Ophthalmoscopic exam may be abnormal with findings of ___
  • Hearing acuity may be reduced
  • Weber test may be abnormal (Note: A positive Weber test is considered a normal finding / A negative Weber test is considered an abnormal finding. To avoid confusion, you may write "abnormal Weber test".)
  • Rinne test may be positive (Note: A positive Rinne test is considered a normal finding / A negative Rinne test is considered an abnormal finding. To avoid confusion, you may write "abnormal Rinne test".)
  • Exudate from the ear canal
  • Tenderness upon palpation of the ear pinnae / tragus (anterior to ear canal)
  • Inflamed nares / congested nares
  • Purulent exudate from the nares
  • Facial tenderness
  • Erythematous throat with/without tonsillar swelling, exudates, and/or petechiae

Neck

Lungs

  • Asymmetric chest expansion / Decreased chest expansion
  • Lungs are hypo/hyperresonant
  • Fine/coarse crackles upon auscultation of the lung bases/apices unilaterally/bilaterally
  • Rhonchi
  • Vesicular breath sounds / Distant breath sounds
  • Expiratory/inspiratory wheezing with normal / delayed expiratory phase
  • Wheezing may be present
  • Egophony present/absent
  • Bronchophony present/absent
  • Normal/reduced tactile fremitus

Heart

  • Chest tenderness upon palpation
  • PMI within 2 cm of the sternum (PMI) / Displaced point of maximal impulse (PMI) suggestive of ____
  • Heave / thrill
  • Friction rub
  • S1
  • S2
  • S3
  • S4
  • Gallops
  • A high/low grade early/late systolic murmur / diastolic murmur best heard at the base/apex/(specific valve region) may be heard using the bell/diaphgram of the otoscope

Abdomen

Back

  • Point tenderness over __ vertebrae (e.g. L3-L4)
  • Sacral edema
  • Costovertebral angle tenderness bilaterally/unilaterally
  • Buffalo hump

Genitourinary

  • A pelvic/adnexal mass may be palpated
  • Inflamed mucosa
  • Clear/(color), foul-smelling/odorless penile/vaginal discharge

Neuromuscular

  • Patient is usually oriented to persons, place, and time
  • Altered mental status
  • Glasgow coma scale is ___ / 15
  • Clonus may be present
  • Hyperreflexia / hyporeflexia / areflexia
  • Positive (abnormal) Babinski / plantar reflex unilaterally/bilaterally
  • Muscle rigidity
  • Proximal/distal muscle weakness unilaterally/bilaterally
  • ____ (finding) suggestive of cranial nerve ___ (roman numerical) deficit (e.g. Dilated pupils suggestive of CN III deficit)
  • Unilateral/bilateral upper/lower extremity weakness
  • Unilateral/bilateral sensory loss in the upper/lower extremity
  • Positive straight leg raise test
  • Abnormal gait (describe gait: e.g. ataxic (cerebellar) gait / steppage gait / waddling gait / choeiform gait / Parkinsonian gait / sensory gait)
  • Positive/negative Trendelenburg sign
  • Unilateral/bilateral tremor (describe tremor, e.g. at rest, pill-rolling)
  • Normal finger-to-nose test / Dysmetria
  • Absent/present dysdiadochokinesia (palm tapping test)

Extremities

  • Clubbing
  • Cyanosis
  • Pitting/non-pitting edema of the upper/lower extremities
  • Muscle atrophy
  • Fasciculations in the upper/lower extremity

References

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