Fatigue: Examination

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, mucous membranes and sclerae (white part of the eye).
      • Oral cavity
      • Pharynx (throat)
      • Abdomen (abdomen)
        • Shape of the abdomen?
        • Skin color? Skin texture?
        • Efflorescences (skin changes)?
        • Pulsations? Bowel movements?
        • Visible vessels?
        • Scars? Hernias (fractures)?
    • Auscultation (listening) of the heart.
    • Examination of the lungs
      • Auscultation (listening) of the lungs
    • Examination of the abdomen (abdomen)
      • Auscultation of the abdomen [vascular or stenotic sounds?, bowel sounds?]
      • Percussion (tapping) of the abdomen.
      • Palpation (palpation) of the abdomen (abdomen) (pressure pain?, knocking pain?, coughing pain?, defensive tension?, hernial orifices?, kidney bearing knocking pain?)
  • Gynecological examination [due todifferential diagnosis: endometritis (inflammation of the uterus)].
  • ENT medical examination [due todifferential diagnosis: sinusitis (sinusitis)]
  • Neurological examination [due todifferential diagnosis: Parkinson’s disease]
  • Psychiatric examination [due todifferential diagnosis: chronic fatigue syndrome (chronic fatigue syndrome, CFS), depression]
  • Urological examination [due todifferential diagnosis: nephrotic syndrome, pyelonephritis (inflammation of the renal pelvis)]
  • Health check

Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.