What is palpation?
The process whereby the examiner uses the hands to feel for the body movement , lumps , masses, and skin characteristics.
What is auscultation?
The most commonly used physical assessment technique. Involves listening to body sounds with a stethoscope placed on bare skin.
What is percussion?
Requires the examiner to place a finger firmly against a body part and strike that finger with a fingertip from the other hand.
What is inspection?
Ranges from casual observation to visual scrutiny of the patient
Percussion notes:
Flat
Soft, high pitched , and short of duration
Percussion notes:
Dull
Medium intensity , pitch , and duration.
Percussion notes:
Resonant
Loud, low in pitch , and of long duration.
Percussion notes:
Hyperresonant
Very lord, lower in pitch, long in duration
Percussion notes:
Tympanic
Loud and drum-like , with a high pitch
Tachypnea
Respiration a faster than 20 breaths per minute.
Hyperpnea
Rapid , deep labored breathing.
Kussmaul respirations
Describes hyperventilation as a compensatory mechanism for metabolic acidosis , most commonly diabetic ketoacidosis
Orthopnea
Refers to an individual that must sit or stand to breath.
Platypnea
Refers to individuals difficulty to breath , but relieved when lying down.
Bradypnea
A rate slower than 12 breaths per minute
Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
Characterized by sudden shortness of breath that occurs several hours after the individual lies down
Cheyne-Stokes respirations
Characterized by episodes of slot , shallow breathe , which rapidly increase in depth and rare.
Biots respiration
Symptomatic of elevated intracranial pressure and meningitis , short burst of uniform , deep respirations , followed by periods of apnea lasting 10-30 seconds
Crackles
Discontinuous
Bubbling or crackling sound heard during inspiration or expiration
Air flowing through airways with secretions or fluid
Rhonchi
Deep, rumbling sounds that are more pronounced on expiration.
Wheezes
Continuous sound heard in inspiration, expiration or both
Musical
Air flowing through constricted airways
Constricted through bronchospasm , mucosal edema, excessive sputum , or foreign body
Normal breath sounds:
Tracheal/Bronchial
Heard ONLY over the trachea , high pitch ; loud and long expirations, often somewhat longer than inspiration
Normal breath sounds:
Bronchovesicular
Heard over main bronchus area and upper right posteriors lung field:medium pitch , expiration equaling inspiration.
Normal breath sounds :
Vesicular
Heard over MOST lung fields;low pitch; soft and short expirations; accentuated in thin person or child and diminished in overweight or very muscular individuals
