Physical exam terminology Flashcards
(165 cards)
1
Q
A&O
A
alert & oriented
2
Q
A&O x3
A
alert and oriented to person, place, and time
3
Q
abduction
A
movement away from the midline
4
Q
abrasion
A
scrape of the skin
5
Q
abscess
A
collection of pus beneath the skin
6
Q
accessory muscle usage
A
using extra muscles other than the diaphragm to help breathe
7
Q
adduction
A
movement toward the midline
8
Q
afebrile
A
without fever
9
Q
affect
A
expressed emotional/ social response
10
Q
alert
A
awake and attentive
11
Q
ambulatory
A
able to walk
12
Q
anisocoria
A
unequal pupil size
13
Q
antalgic gait
A
limping, gait that can develop to avoid pain while walking
14
Q
anterior
A
in front of or directed to the front
15
Q
arrhythmia
A
abnormal heart rhythm
16
Q
AT/NC
A
atraumatic/ normocephalic
17
Q
ataxia
A
loss of coordination
18
Q
atraumatic
A
without trauma
19
Q
atraumatic/ normocephalic (AT/NC)
A
normal external head exam
20
Q
atrophy
A
tissue breakdown or wasting away, typically due to degeneration of cells
21
Q
auscultation
A
listening with stethoscope
22
Q
body habitus
A
general appearance/ state of a person’s body
23
Q
bowel sounds
A
intestinal sounds by auscultation
24
Q
bradycardia
A
decreased heart rate (HR<60)
25
bradypnea
decreased respiratory response
26
bruit
whooshing sound of a vessel by auscultation
27
BS
bowel sounds/ breath sounds
28
cachexia/ cachectic
extremely thin, malnourished as a result of weight and muscle loss due to disease
29
caudal
toward the feet
30
cephalad
toward the head
31
cerumen
ear wax
32
CN
cranial nerves
33
combative
aggressive and uncooperative
34
constitutional
general appearance of a patient
35
costovertebral angle
abdominal flanks, anatomical angle of the body containing the kidneys, formed by the vertebral column and 12th rib
36
cranial nerve
peripheral nerve originating from the brain (CN 2-12)
37
crepitus
cracking palpable in a joint
38
C-spine
cervical spine (C1-C7)
39
CTAB
clear to auscultation bilaterally
40
CVAT
costovertebral angle tenderness
41
dermatome/ dermatomal pattern
area of skin that is supplied by a specific nerve branch
42
dislocation
displacement of a bone from a joint
43
distal
away from the limb root
44
distress
an aversive state in which a person. is unable to completely adapt to stressors and their resulting stress and can show maladapive behaviors
45
dorsiflexion
movement of the hands or feet toward the dorsum
46
DP pulse
dorsalis pedis pulse
47
DTR
deep tendon reflex
48
emaciated
extremely malnourished and frail
49
EOMI
extraocular movements intact
50
everted
turned outward
51
extension
straighten out
52
febrile
having or showing symptoms of a fever
53
flat affect
monotone and unemotional
54
flexion
bending movement where the angle between the bones of the limb and joint decreases
55
fluctuance
palpable fluid collection under the skin, common sign of abscess
56
friction rub
scratching sound of the heart via auscultation
57
frontal
anterior portion of the scalp and the forehead
58
gallop
extra heart sounds via auscultation (53 or 54)
59
guarding
involuntary tensing of the abdominal wall muscles to protect internal organs in acute process
60
hemiparesis
unilateral weakness
61
hemiplegia
unilateral paraysis
62
hepatomegaly
enlargement of the liver
63
hernia
protrusion of tissue out of a body cavity
64
hyperesthesia
hypersensitivity of skin
65
hyperpigmentation
area of skin that is darker than surrounding skin
66
hypertension
elevated blood pressure
67
hypopigmentation
area of skin that is lighter than surrounding skin
68
hypotension
low blood pressure
69
icterus
yellowing of the sclera of the eyes
70
inconsolabe
unable to be comforted; for example, inability to get an infant to stop crying
71
induration
hardened area of tissue
72
inferior
lower, away from the head
73
inguinal
groin region
74
inverted
turned inward
75
irregularly irregular
heart sounds heard with atrial fibrillation
76
jaundice
yellowing of skin due to hyperbilirubinemia
77
Jugular venous distention
distention of the neck veins due to fluid overload or CHF
78
JVD
jugular vein distention
79
keloid
raised scar
80
kyphosis
forward rounding of back
81
laceration
cut in or through the skin or other tissues
82
lateral
away from the midline, towards the sides
83
LLL
left lower lobe
84
LLQ
left lower quadrant
85
lordosis
curving inward of the lower back
86
L-spine
lumbar spine, L1-L5
87
LUL
left upper lobe
88
LUQ
Left upper quadrant
89
lymphadenopathy
enlargement of a lymph node
90
macular
flattened, erythematous spots on the skin
91
maculopapular
rash displaying flat, red areas with several raised areas
92
malnourished
poor nutritional state consistent with thin and frail appearance
93
McBurney point
point in RLQ that is associated with appendicitis
94
medial
toward the midline/ median plane
95
meningismus
stiffening of the neck muscles
96
midline
divides the body in half
97
morbidly obese
extremely overweight BMI> 45
98
mottled
description of skin with significant hypoperfusion (loss of circulating fluids); marked by hypotension and coldness of the skin
99
murmur
abnormal heart sound, grade on a scale of I-VI
100
Murphy sign
pain with palpation of the RUQ with inspiration (tests for cholecystitis)
101
nasal flaring
enlargement of nostrils when breathing; sign of respiratory distress
102
nystagmus
involuntary eye movements where eyes appear to be shaking
103
obturator sign
pain in the RLQ with internal rotation of the right hip; indicative of appendicitis
104
occipital/ occipitut
posterior area of head/ scalp
105
oriented x3
oriented to place, place, and time
106
oropharynx
posterior mouth meeting the superior aspect of the throat
107
pallor
unhealthy pale appearance; abnormal loss of color from skin
108
palpable
able to be felt and easily perceived
109
papilledema
swelling of the optic nerve sheath
110
papular
raised bumps; often associated with rash
111
percussing
tapping on the abdomen like a drum
112
peritoneal signs
exam findings indicating an acute abdomen
113
PERRL
pupils equal, round, reactive to light
114
petechiae
small purple or red skin discolorations that do not blanch (petechiae appear when capillaries bleed, leaking blood into the skin)
115
pitting edema
swelling that retains an imprint upon palpation
116
plantar
sole of the foot
117
posterior
relating to the rear or back, interchangeable with dorsal
118
pronate
turn the palm of the hand downward, turn out of anatomical position
119
prone
body positioning lying face down
120
proximal
closer to the limb root
121
psoas sign
RLQ pain with extension of the right thigh, sign of appendicitis
122
purulent
relating to pus
123
radial
aspect of the lower forearm when in anatomic position
124
rales
wet crackling sound by auscultation of the lungs
125
rebound
pain when releasing from abdominal palpation, also called Blumberg sign
126
retractions
visible sinking of the ribs between breathing, indicative of respiratory distress and use of accessory muscles
127
rhonchi
coarse rattling respiratory sound; often thick mucous sound by auscultation of the lungs
128
rigidity
stiffness of the abdominal wall muscles due to an acute abdominal process
129
RLQ
right lower quarter
130
ROM
range of motion
131
romberg sign
falling to one side when standing with feet together and eyes closed
132
Rovsing sign
pain in the RLQ when the LLQ is palpated (indicative of appendicitis)
133
RRR
regular rate and rhythm
134
RUQ
right upper quadrant
135
scoliosis
sideways curvature of the spine
136
serosanguinous
consisting of yellowish serum and blood (may also be spelled serosanguineous)
137
serous
consisting of yellowish serum
138
splenomegaly
enlarged spleen
139
straight leg raise
physical exam test to evaluate for sciatica
140
stridor
high-pitched upper airway sound
141
subluxation
partial dislocation
142
subungual
beneath a nail
143
sunken eyes
eyes appear to be depressed, consistent with dehydration
144
superficial
ear to the surface
145
supinate
turning the palm facing upward or forward
146
supine
body position when lying face up
147
supple
flexible and freely mobile; common descriptor in neck exam
148
suprapubic
lower central region of abdomen
149
T spine
thoracic spine; T1-T12
150
tachycardia
fast heart rate, HR>100bpm
151
tachypnea
increased respiratory rate
152
temporal
the sides of the head
153
tenting
slow return of skin to normal position after pinching the area- a sign of dehydration
154
turgor
skin elasticity
155
tympanic membrane (TM)
eardrum
156
tympany
bell-like sound when percussing the abdomen
157
Ulnar
pertaining to the medial side of the arm when in anatomic position
158
uncooperative
does not follow commands
159
unkempt
poor self hygiene
160
urticaria
hives, sign of allergic reaction
161
vesicle
fluid or air-filled cavity or sac
162
volar
relating to the palm/ sole of the foot (interchangeable with palmar)
163
weal (plural wheals)
often a description of an uticarial plaque ( a red swollen mark on the body)
164
well-developed
normal state of body and mental development and wellness
165
wheezing
high-pitched lung sounds, often due to bronchopasm
