Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Percussion is a method of tapping on a surface to determine the underlying structures, and is used in clinical examinations to assess the condition of the thorax or abdomen. It is one of the four methods of clinical examination, together with inspection , palpation , auscultation , and inquiry.
Percussion can be performed in all four quadrants of the abdomen and may reveal a painful response by the patient. During the abdominal examination, percussion may allow the estimation of location and quantity of gas, hard or soft masses, and sizes of certain organs, such as the liver and the spleen.
Percussion and resonance (the quality and feeling of sound) are used to examine lung movement and possible lung conditions. Specifically, percussion is performed by first placing the middle finger of one hand over the area of interest. The middle finger of the other hand is used to strike the last joint of the placed finger.
A Pleximeter is a device used in medical percussion, as part of a clinical examination, to absorb the energy generated by the strike from the plexor. During percussion the middle finger of examiner's hand is routinely used as pleximeter.
For centuries, physicians have employed many simple non-invasive methods based on physical parameters in order to assess body function in health and disease (physical examination and inspection), such as pulse-taking, the auscultation of heart sounds and lung sounds (using the stethoscope), temperature examination (using thermometers ...
Nursing assessment is the gathering of information about a patient's physiological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual status by a licensed Registered Nurse. Nursing assessment is the first step in the nursing process. A section of the nursing assessment may be delegated to certified nurses aides.
A Buck reflex hammer. A reflex hammer is a medical instrument used by practitioners to test deep tendon reflexes, the best known possibly being the patellar reflex.Testing for reflexes is an important part of the neurological physical examination in order to detect abnormalities in the central or peripheral nervous system.
Palpation is the process of using one's hands to check the body, especially while perceiving/diagnosing a disease or illness. [1] Usually performed by a health care practitioner, it is the process of feeling an object in or on the body to determine its size, shape, firmness, or location (for example, a veterinarian can feel the stomach of a pregnant animal to ensure good health and successful ...