Physical Exam Terminology Flashcards
(165 cards)
1
Q
A&O
A
alert and 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 a stehtoscope
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 (bruh - dip - nee - uh)
decreased respiratory rate
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
earwax
32
CN
cranial nerves
33
combative
agressive 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
cyanosis
bluish color of skin due to hypoxia
42
dermatome/dermatomal pattern
area of skin that is supplied by a specific nerve branch
43
dislocation
displacement of a bone from a joint
44
distal
away from the limb root
45
distress
an aversive state in which a person is unable to completely adapt to stressors and their resulting stress and can show maladaptive behaviors
46
dorsiflexion
movement of the hands or feet toward the dorsum
47
DP pulse
dorsalis pedis pulse
48
DTR
deep tendon reflex
49
emaciated
extremely malnourished and frail
50
EOMI
extraocular movements intact
51
everted
turned outward
52
extension
straighten out
53
febrile
having or showing the symptoms of a fever
54
flat affect
monotone and unemotional
55
flexion
a bending movement where the angle between the bones of the limb and joint decreases
56
fluctuance
palpable fluid collection under the skin, common sign of abcess
57
friction rub
scratching sound of the heart via auscultation
58
frontal
anterior portion of scalp and forehead
59
gallop
extra heart sounds via auscultation (S3 or S4)
60
guarding
involuntary tensing of the abdominal wall muscles to protect internal organs in acute process
61
hemiparesis
unilateral weakness
62
hemiplegia
unilateral paralysis
63
hepatomegaly
enlargement of the liver
64
hernia
protrusion of tissue out of a body cavity
65
hyperesthesia
hypersensitivity of skin
66
hyperpigmentation
area of skin that is darker than surrounding skin
67
hypertension
elevated blood pressure
68
hypopigmentation
area of skin that is lighter than surrounding skin
69
hypotension
low blood pressure
70
icterus
yellowing of the sclera of the eyes
71
inconsolable
unable to be comforted; for example, inability to get an infant to stop crying.
72
induration
hardened area of tissue
73
inferior
lower, away from the head
74
inguinal
groin region
75
inverted
turned inward
76
irregularly irregular
heart sounds heard with atrial fibrillation
77
jaundice
yellowing of skin due to hyperbilirubinemia
78
jugular venous distention (JVD)
distention of the neck veins due to fluid overload or CHF
79
keloid
raised scar
80
kyphosis
forward rounding of the back
81
laceration
cut in or through the skin or other tissues
82
lateral
away from the midline, toward 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 the 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 into left and right halves
97
morbidly obese
extremely overweight, BMI>45
98
mottled
description of skin with significant hypoperfusion (loss of circulating fluid); marked by hypotension and coldness of the skin
99
murmur
abnormal heart sound, graded on 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/occiput
posterior area of head/scalp
105
oriented x3
oriented to person, 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
palmar
relating to the palm, interchangeable with volar
109
palpable
able to be felt and easily perceived
110
papilledema
swelling of the optic nerve sheath
111
papular
raised bumps, often associated with rash
112
percussing
tapping on the abdomen like a drum
113
peritoneal signs
exam findings indicating an acute abdomen
114
PERRL
pupils equal, round, reactive to light
115
petechiae
small purple or red skin discolorations that do not blance (petechiae appear when capillaries bleed, leaking blood into the skin)
116
pitting edema
swelling that retains an imprint upon palpation
117
plantar
relating to the sole of the foot
118
posterior
relating to the rear or the back, interchangeable with dorsal
119
pronate
turn the palm of the hand downward, turn out of anatomical position
120
prone
body position lying face down
121
proximal
closer to the limb root
122
psoas sign
RLQ pain with extension of the right thigh, sign of appendicitis
123
purulent
relating to pus
124
radial
aspect of the lateral forearm when in anatomic position
125
rales
wet crackling sound by auscultation of the lungs
126
rebound
pain when releasing from abdominal palpation, also called Blumberg sign
127
retractions
visible sinking of the skin between ribs during breathing, indicative of respiratory distress and use of accessory muscles
128
rhonchi
coarse rattling respiratory sound; often thick mucous sound by auscultation of the lungs
129
rigidity
stiffness of the abdominal wall muscles due to an acute abdominal process
130
RLQ
right lover quadrant
131
ROM
range of motion
132
Romberg sign
falling to one side when standing with feet together and eyes closed
133
Rovsing sign
pain in the RLQ when the LLQ is palpated (indicative of appendicitis)
134
RRR
regular rate and rhythm
135
RUQ
right upper quadrant
136
scoliosis
sideways curvature of the spine
137
serosanguinous
consisting of yellowish serum and blood (may also be spelled serosanguineous)
138
serous
consisting of yellowish serum
139
somnolent
appearing very drowsy
140
splenomegaly
enlarged spleen
141
straight leg raise
physical exam test to evaluate for sciatica
142
stridor
high-pitched upper airway sound
143
subluxation
partial dislocation
144
subungual
beneath a nail
145
sunken eyes
eyes appear to be depressed, consistent with dehydration
146
superficial
near to the surface
147
supinate
turning the palm facing upward or forward
148
supple
flexibel and freeely mobile; common descriptor in neck exam
149
suprapubic
lower central region of abdomen
150
T spine
thoracic spine; T1-T12
151
tachycardia
fast heart rate, >100
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 (pl. 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 bronchospasm
