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; further:
- Inspection (viewing).
- Skin, mucous membranes, oral cavity, pharynx (throat) [painful enanthema (rash in the area of the mucous membranes; here: oral mucosa):
- Pinhead-sized erythema that transforms into vesicles and often forms ulcers (ulcers=/painful aphthae/painful damage to the oral mucosa).
- Localization: tongue, gums and oral mucosa.
Non-itchy exanthema (rash):
- With flat or raised red spots, sometimes blistering.
- Localization: palms and soles; possibly also buttocks, genital area, knees or elbows (here possibly occurrence as itchy rash = atypical courses).
- Skin, mucous membranes, oral cavity, pharynx (throat) [painful enanthema (rash in the area of the mucous membranes; here: oral mucosa):
- Inspection and palpation of the lymph node stations [local lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement)].
- Inspection (viewing).
Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathologic (pathological) physical findings.