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 [painful redness; swelling; possibly lymphangitis (inflammation of lymphatic vessels)]
- Auscultation (listening) of the heart [due topossible secondary disease: cardiac arrhythmia].
- Auscultation of the lungs [due topossible sequelae: respiratory failure]
- Palpation (palpation) of the abdomen (abdomen) (pressure pain?, knock pain?, cough pain?, defensive tension?, hernial orifices?, kidney bearing knock pain?)
- Inspection (viewing).
Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.