During a physical examination, a health care provider studies a patient's body to determine the presence or absence of physical problems.
A typical physical examination includes:
Inspection (looking at the body)
Palpation (feeling the body with hands)
Auscultation (listening to sounds)
Percussion (producing sounds)
Information:
Review Date: 2/9/2005 Reviewed By: Thomas A. Owens, M.D., Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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