A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:
- General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; furthermore:
- Inspection (viewing).
- Skin and mucous membranes [see differential diagnoses, e.g.:
- Furuncle – purulent inflammation of hair follicles or sebaceous glands.
- Genital herpes – chronic, lifelong persistent viral disease, which in most cases arises from a primary infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2, sometimes by herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 (in about 30% of cases).
- Herpes zoster (shingles)
- Infected epidermal cyst – originating from the hair follicles, several millimeters to two centimeters in size, prallelastic, skin-colored cysts that grow slowly and can become infected
- Skin and mucous membranes [see differential diagnoses, e.g.:
- Inspection and palpation of the genitals (penis and scrotum (scrotum); assessment of pubescence (pubic hair), penile length (between 7-10 cm when flaccid), and testicular position and size (using orchimeter if necessary)). [See under differential diagnoses:
- Balanitis (acorn inflammation), mycotic (“fungal”) or bacterial]
- Inspection and palpation (palpation) of the abdomen (belly), inguinal region (groin region), etc. (pressure pain?, knock pain?, release pain?, cough pain?, defensive tension?, hernial orifices?, kidney bearing knock pain?)
- Digital rectal examination (DRU): examination of the rectum (rectum) and adjacent organs with the finger by palpation (assessment of the prostate in size, shape and consistency, detection of indurations (tissue hardening) if necessary).
- Inspection (viewing).
- Cancer screening
- Urological examination
Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.