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.
- Inspection (viewing)
- Skin [maculopapular exanthema/ blotchy rash occurring with small nodules].
- Mucous membranes [aphthae on the lip]
- Eyes [conjunctivitis (conjunctivitis)]
- Abdomen (abdomen)
- Shape of the abdomen?
- Skin color? Skin texture?
- Efflorescences (skin changes)?
- Pulsations? Bowel movements?
- Visible vessels?
- Scars? Hernias (fractures)?
- Extremities [arthralgia (joint pain), myalgia (muscle pain)]
- Inspection and palpation (palpation) of lymph node stations [lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement), including in unusual locations, such as behind the auricle]
- Auscultation (listening) of the heart.
- Auscultation of the lungs
- Palpation (palpation) of the abdomen (tenderness?, knocking pain?, coughing pain?, defensive tension?, hernial orifices?, kidney bearing knocking pain?)
- Inspection (viewing)
Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.