Thrill Health Dictionary

A sign obtained from collections of ?uid by laying the ?ngers of one hand upon one side of the swelling, and, with those of the other, tapping or pressing suddenly on a distant point of the swelling. The ‘thrill’ communicated from one hand to the other through the ?uid is one of the most important signs of the presence of an ABSCESS, or of e?usion of ?uid into joints or into the peritoneal cavity (see PERITONEUM).... fluctuation

Tremors or vibrations in an area of the body, detected by palpating (feeling) with the ?ngers or the hand or by auscultation (listening). The procedure is most commonly used when examining the chest and assessing what happens when the patient breathes, coughs or speaks. This helps the doctor to diagnose whether disorders such as ?uid in the pleural cavity or solidi?cation of a section of the lung have occurred.

Friction fremitus is a grating feeling communicated to the hand by the movements of lungs or heart when the membrane covering them is roughened, as in PLEURISY or PERICARDITIS. Vocal fremitus means the sensation felt by the hand when a person speaks; it is increased when the lung is more solid than usual. The ‘thrills’ felt over a heart affected by valvular disease are also varieties of fremitus.... fremitus

See THRILL. A clinical technique in which a patient suspected of having excessive ?uid in a body cavity – usually the stomach or pleural cavity – is gently shaken in order to elicit splashing sounds.... succussion