A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:
- General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body temperature, body weight, body height; furthermore:
- Inspection (viewing).
- Skin and mucous membranes
- Examination of the ears by otoscope / otoscopy [due topossible secondary disease: otitis media (otitis media)].
- Examination of the lungs (due topossible secondary diseases):
- Auscultation (listening) of the lungs.
- Bronchophony (checking the transmission of high-frequency sounds; the patient is asked to pronounce the word “66” several times in a pointed voice while the doctor listens to the lungs)[increased sound conduction due to pulmonary infiltration/compaction of lung tissue (e.g., in pneumonia) the consequence is, the number “66” is better understood on the diseased side than on the healthy side; in the case of reduced sound conduction (attenuated or absent): e.g., in pleural effusion). The result is, the number “66” is barely audible to absent over the diseased part of the lung, because the high-frequency sounds are strongly attenuated]
- Voice fremitus (checking the transmission of low frequencies; the patient is asked to say the word “99” several times in a low voice, while the doctor puts his hands on the chest or back of the patient)[increased sound conduction due to pulmonary infiltration / compaction of lung tissue (eg, in pneumonia) the consequence is, the number “99” is better understood on the diseased side than on the healthy side; in the case of reduced sound conduction (greatly attenuated or absent: in pleural effusion). The consequence is, the number “99” is barely audible to absent over the diseased part of the lung, because the low-frequency sounds are strongly attenuated]
- Inspection (viewing).
Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.
