Influenza (Flu): 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; further:
    • Inspection (viewing).
      • Skin and mucous membranes
      • Throat
      • Sclera (white part of the eye)
      • 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 [due topossible sequelae: Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), pericarditis (inflammation of the pericardium)]
    • Examination of the lungs
      • 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 physician listens to the lungs)[increased sound conduction due to pulmonary infiltration/compaction of lung tissue (e.g. in pneumonia/lung inflammation) the consequence is, the number “66” is better understood on the diseased side than on the healthy side; in case of reduced sound conduction (attenuated or absent): e.g. in case of pleural effusion/fluid accumulation between the chest wall and the lung). As a result, 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 (for example, 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]
    • Palpation (palpation) of the abdomen (tenderness?, knocking pain?, coughing pain?, defensive tension?, hernial orifices?, kidney bearing knocking pain?)

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