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) of the nails [redness, swelling, collection of pus under the nail, deformation of the nail, or even rejection (both rare)]
- Dermatological examination [due topossible secondary diseases:
- Hollow hand phlegmon (diffuse inflammation of the connective tissue of the hand in the area of the palmar aponeurosis (tendon plate)).
- Panaritium articulare (inflammation spreading to the joint on the finger / toe).
- Panaritium cutaneum (inflammation of the finger / toe limited to the superficial layer of skin).
- Panaritium ossale (inflammation of the finger / toe spreading to the bone).
- Panaritium parunguale (inflammation of the finger / toe originating from the nail fold).
- Panaritium periostale (inflammation of the finger / toe spreading to the periosteum).
- Panaritium subcutaneum (into the connective tissue encroaching inflammation of the finger / toe).
- Panaritium subunguale (inflammation of the finger / toe located under the nail).
- Panaritium tendinosum (tendon sheath phlegmon).
- Discoloration of the fingernail after bacterial infection]
- Health check
Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.
