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) of skin and mucous membranes [due toexclusion of organic causes: exsiccosis/dehydration?]
- Auscultation (listening) of the heart.
- Auscultation of the lungs
- Palpation (palpation) of the abdomen (abdomen) (tenderness?, knocking pain?, coughing pain?, defensive tension?, hernial orifices?, kidney bearing knocking pain?)
- Neurological examination – including examination of reflexes and cranial nerves.
- Health check
Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.