5 Basic Methods for Physical Assessment

The five basic methods of physical assessment include visual examination, palpation, percussion, auscultation, and measurement, which can comprehensively understand the health status.

1. Visual examination: Determine abnormalities by observing body appearance, skin color, posture, etc. Skin jaundice may indicate liver and gallbladder disease, and edema requires examination for kidney or heart problems. It is recommended to check the whole body under natural light, pay attention to comparing symmetrical parts, and seek medical attention promptly if any abnormalities are found.

2. Palpation: Evaluate tissue status by touching with hands. Lymph node enlargement requires examination for infection or tumor, and abdominal palpation may reveal hepatosplenomegaly. During the examination, keep your hands warm and use a combination of shallow and deep palpation. It is recommended to perform breast self-examination one week after menstruation every month.

3. Percussion: Judging organ status by tapping the surface of the body and listening for echoes. Dull percussion sounds in the lungs indicate pneumonia or pleural effusion, and abdominal drum sounds may indicate intestinal obstruction. When operating, use the middle finger to tap and compare the symmetrical parts on both sides. Professional training is required before implementation.

4. Auscultation: Use a stethoscope to evaluate cardiopulmonary function. Heart murmurs may indicate valve disease, and pulmonary rales are common in bronchitis. Choose a quiet environment, fully expose the auscultation site, and complete chest imaging examination is recommended for abnormal respiratory sounds.

5. Measurement: Quantitatively evaluate physiological indicators. Blood pressure exceeding 140/90mmHg should alert to hypertension, and a BMI greater than 24 is considered overweight. Electronic blood pressure monitors and body fat scales can be kept at home. It is recommended to use oral or ear thermometers to measure body temperature, and any abnormal data should be monitored continuously for three days.

Regularly conducting these five basic assessments can detect health hazards early. It is recommended to measure weight, waist circumference, and other data once every quarter, and complete a comprehensive physical examination every year. The office crowd can get up every hour and do neck palpation self-examination. diabetes patients need to monitor blood sugar daily. Establish a personal health record to record the trend of changes in various indicators, and promptly consult a specialist if any persistent abnormalities are found