Examination, physical Health Dictionary

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Examination, Physical: From 1 Different Sources

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.

Health Source: BMA Medical Dictionary
Author: The British Medical Association

Physical Examination

That part of a patient’s consultation with a doctor in which the doctor looks, feels (palpates) and listens to (auscultates) various parts of the patient’s body. Along with the history of the patient’s symptoms, this enables the doctor to assess the patient’s condition and decide whether an immediate diagnosis is possible or whether laboratory or imaging investigations are needed to reach a diagnosis. A full physical examination may take 30 minutes or more. Physical examination, along with certain standard investigations, is done when a person attends for a ‘preventive’ check-up of his or her state of health.... physical examination

Physical Medicine

A medical specialty founded in 1931 and recognised by the Royal College of Physicians of London in 1972. Physical-medicine specialists started by treating rheumatic diseases; subsequently their work developed to include the diagnosis and rehabilitation of people with physical handicaps. The specialty has now been combined with that of RHEUMATOLOGY. (See also PHYSIOTHERAPY.)... physical medicine

Physical Activity

Any form of exercise or movement.... physical activity

Physical Therapy / Physiotherapy

1 Treatment of pain, disease or injury by physical means. 2 The profession concerned with promotion of health; prevention of physical disabilities; evaluation and rehabilitation of persons disabled by pain, disease or injury; and with treatment by physical therapeutic measures, as opposed to medical, surgical or radiologic measures.... physical therapy / physiotherapy

Post-mortem Examination

Also called an autopsy (and less commonly, necropsy), this is an examination of a body to discover the causes of death. Such an examination is sometimes required by law. An unnatural death; a death occurring in suspicious circumstances; or a death when a doctor feels unable to complete a certi?cate about the cause – all must be reported to the CORONER (in Scotland, to the procurator ?scal). He or she may order an autopsy to be carried out as part of the inquiry into cause of death. Sometimes doctors may request the permission of relatives to perform a post-mortem so that they may discover something of value for the improvement of medical care. Relatives may refuse consent. (See also DEATH, CAUSES OF.)... post-mortem examination

Breast Self-examination

Visual and manual examination of the breasts carried out by a woman to detect lumps

and other changes that might be an indication of early breast cancer. To carry out self-examination, the breasts should be checked in a mirror for any dimpling of the skin or changes in the nipples or breast size and shape. Then, with one arm behind the head, and using small circular movements, the breast should be gently but firmly pressed. The entire breast, armpit area, and nipple should be examined. Regular self-examination helps a woman to become familiar with the appearance and feel of her breasts; any changes should be reported to a doctor without delay.... breast self-examination

Dental Examination

An examination of the mouth, gums, and teeth by a dentist as a routine check or as part of the assessment a person complaining of a symptom. Routine examinations enable tooth decay and gum disease to be detected and treated at an early stage.

During a routine dental examination, the dentist uses a metal instrument to

probe for dental cavities, chipped teeth, or fillings. Dental X-rays are sometimes carried out to check for problems that may not be visible. Dentists also check how well the upper and lower teeth come together. Regular examinations in children enable the monitoring of the replacement of primary teeth by permanent, or secondary, teeth. Referral for orthodontic treatment may be made. dental extraction See tooth extraction. dental X-ray An image of the teeth and jaws that provides information for detecting, diagnosing, and treating conditions that can threaten oral and general health. There are 3 types of dental X-ray: periapical X-ray, bite-wing X-ray, and panoramic X-ray.

Periapical X-rays are taken using X-ray film held behind the teeth. They give detailed images of whole teeth and the surrounding tissues. They show unerupted or impacted teeth, root fractures, abscesses, cysts, and tumours, and can help diagnose some skeletal diseases. Bite-wing X-rays show the crowns of the teeth and can detect areas of decay and changes in bone due to periodontal disease. Panoramic X-rays show all the teeth and surrounding structures on one large film. They can show unerupted or impacted teeth, cysts, jaw fractures, or tumours. The amount of radiation received from dental X-rays is extremely small. However, dental X-rays should be avoided during pregnancy.... dental examination

Pelvic Examination

Examination of a woman’s external and internal genitalia.

After examination of the external genitalia, a speculum is inserted into the vagina to allow a clear view of the cervix.

A cervical smear test may be performed.

The doctor inserts 2 fingers into the vagina and, with the other hand, feels the abdomen to evaluate the position and size of the uterus and the ovaries and to detect any tenderness or swelling.... pelvic examination

Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation

A branch of medicine concerned with caring for patients who have become disabled through injury or illness.... physical medicine and rehabilitation

Postmortem Examination

An alternative term for an autopsy.... postmortem examination

Mental State Examination

(MSE) a full psychiatric examination of signs and symptoms, which takes place during a psychiatric interview and should apply only to signs and symptoms elicited at that time; it should not take into account historical information. The examination is usually divided into the following subheadings: appearance and behaviour, speech, mood, *affect, thought and perception, *insight, and orientation. Usually it also includes a *risk assessment.... mental state examination

Mini-mental State Examination

(MMSE) a brief 30-point questionnaire that is used to screen for cognitive impairment in the diagnosis of dementia. It is also used to estimate the severity of cognitive impairment and to follow the course of cognitive changes in an individual over time, thus making it an effective way to document response to treatment. It tests functions including arithmetic, memory, and orientation.... mini-mental state examination

Ear, Examination Of

The ear may be examined to investigate earache, discharge from the ear (see ear, discharge from), hearing loss, a feeling of fullness in the ear, disturbed balance, tinnitus, or swelling of lymph nodes (see glands, swollen) around the ear.

To view the ear canal and eardrum, an otoscope may be used. To obtain images of the middle and inner ears, X-rays, CT scanning, or MRI may be carried out. Hearing and balance can be assessed by means of hearing tests or caloric tests. Electronystagmography assesses balance by watching eye movements when water is inserted into the ear. ear, foreign body in Foreign bodies can easily enter the ear canal. Children often insert objects into their ears, and insects may crawl or fly in. Objects in the ear must be removed by a doctor. This can be done by syringing of the ear or by using fine-toothed forceps. Insects can sometimes be floated out with olive oil or lukewarm water.... ear, examination of

Eye, Examination Of

An inspection of the structures of the eyes, either as part of a vision test or to make a diagnosis when an eye disorder is suspected.

An eye examination usually begins with inspection of the external appearance of the eyes, lids, and surrounding skin. A check of eye movements is usually performed and the examiner looks for squint. A check of the visual acuity in each eye using a Snellen chart follows. Refraction testing (using lenses of different strengths) may be performed to determine what glasses or contact lenses, if any, may be needed. A test of the visual fields may be performed, especially in suspected cases of glaucoma or neurological conditions. Colour vision may be checked because loss of colour perception is an indication of certain disorders of the retina or optic nerve. To check for abrasions or ulcers, the conjunctiva and cornea may be stained with fluorescein. Applanation tonometry is an essential test for glaucoma.

The ophthalmoscope is an instrument used to examine the inside of the eye, particularly the retina. The slit-lamp microscope, with its illumination and lens magnification, allows examination of the conjunctiva, cornea, front chamber of the eye, iris, and lens. For a full view of the lens and the structures behind it, the pupil must be widely dilated with eye-drops.... eye, examination of

Objective Structured Clinical Examination

(OSCE) a type of examination used increasingly in the health sciences (medicine, dentistry, nursing, physiotherapy, pharmacy) to assess clinical skills in examination, communication, medical procedures, and interpretation of results. The examination usually takes the form of a circuit of stations around which each candidate moves after a specified time interval (5–10 minutes) at each station. Stations are a mixture of interactive and noninteractive tasks. Some have an examiner and a simulated patient, either an actor for assessment of communication or history-taking skills or a manikin of a specific part of the body (e.g. to demonstrate how to use an auriscope). Other stations have investigation results with a list of questions that are to be completed on computer-marked examination papers. Each station has a different examiner and the stations are standardized with specific marking criteria, thus enabling fairer comparison with peers.... objective structured clinical examination

Physical

adj. (in medicine) relating to the body rather than to the mind. For example, a physical sign is one that a doctor can detect when examining a patient, such as abnormal dilation of the pupils or the absence of a knee-jerk reflex (see also functional disorder; organic disorder).... physical

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