A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:
- General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; further:
- Inspection (viewing) [pallor of skin/mucous membranes, aphthae on oral mucosa, rhagades of the corners of the mouth (cracks in the corners of the mouth), brittle nails, koilonychia (curvature of fingernails), dry skin]
- Skin, mucous membranes and eyes (conjunctiva / conjunctivae).
- Fingernails
- Examination of the abdomen (belly)
- Percussion (tapping) of the abdomen
- Meteorism (flatulence): hypersonoric tapping sound.
- Attenuation of tapping sound due to enlarged liver or spleen, tumor, urinary retention?
- Hepatomegaly (liver enlargement) and/or splenomegaly (spleen enlargement): estimate liver and spleen size.
- Palpation (palpation) of the abdomen (abdomen) (tenderness?, knocking pain?, coughing pain?, defensive tension?, hernial orifices?, renal bearing knocking pain?).
- Percussion (tapping) of the abdomen
- Digital rectal examination (DRU): examination of the rectum (rectum) [blood in stool (hematochezia); melena (tarry stool)]
- Inspection (viewing) [pallor of skin/mucous membranes, aphthae on oral mucosa, rhagades of the corners of the mouth (cracks in the corners of the mouth), brittle nails, koilonychia (curvature of fingernails), dry skin]
- Gynecological examination [genital bleeding]
- Cancer screening
- Health check
Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.
