Physical Exam Terminology Flashcards
1
Q
A&O
A
alert and oriented
2
Q
A&O x3
A
alert and oriented to person, place and time
3
Q
abduction
A
movement away from the midline
4
Q
abrasion
A
scrape of the skin
5
Q
abscess
A
collection of pus beneath the skin
6
Q
accessory muscle usage
A
using extra muscles other than the diaphragm to help breathe
7
Q
adduction
A
movement toward the midline
8
Q
afebrile
A
without fever
9
Q
affect
A
expressed emotional/social response
10
Q
alert
A
awake and attentive
11
Q
ambulatory
A
able to walk
12
Q
anisocoria
A
unequal pupil size
13
Q
antalgic gait
A
limping, gait that can develop to avoid pain while walking
14
Q
anterior
A
in front or directed to the front
15
Q
arrhythmia
A
abnormal heart rhythm
16
Q
AT/NC
A
atraumatic/normocephalic
17
Q
ataxia
A
loss of coordination
18
Q
atraumatic
A
without trauma
19
Q
atrautmatic/normpcephalic (AT/NC)
A
normal external head exam
20
Q
atrophy
A
tissue breakdown or wasting away, typically due to degeneration of cells
21
Q
auscultation
A
listening with a stethoscope
22
Q
body habitus
A
general appearance/state of a person’s body
23
Q
bowel sounds
A
intestinal sounds by auscultation
24
Q
bradycardia
A
decreased heart rate (HR<60)
25
bradypnea
decreased respiratory rate
26
bruit
whooshing sound of a vessel by auscultation
27
BS
bowel sounds, breath sounds
28
cachexia/cachectic
extremely thin, malnourished as a result of weight and muscle loss due to disease
29
caudal
toward the feet
30
cephalad
toward the head
31
cerumen
earwax
32
CN
cranial nerves
33
combative
aggressive and uncooperative
34
constitutional
general appearance of a patient
35
costovertebral angle
abdominal flanks, anatomical angle of the body containing the kidneys, formed by the vertebral column and 12th rib
36
cranial nerve
peripheral nerve originating from the brain (CN 2-12)
37
crepitus
cracking palpable in a joint
38
C-spine
cervical spine (C1-C7)
39
CTAB
clear to auscultation bilaterally
40
CVAT
costovertebral angle tenderness
41
cyanosis
bluish color of skin due to hypoxia
42
dermatome/dermatomal pattern
area of skin that is supplied by a specific nerve branch
43
dislocation
displacement of a bone from a joint
44
distal
away from the limb root
45
distress
an aversive state in which a person is unable to completely adapt to stressors and their resulting stress and can show maladaptive behaviors
46
dorsiflexion
movement of the hands or feet toward the dorsum
47
DP pulse
dorsalis pedis pulse
48
DTR
deep tendon reflex
49
emaciated
extremely malnourished and frail
50
EOMI
extraocular movements intact
51
everted
turned outward
52
extension
straighten out
53
febrile
having or showing the symptoms of a fever
54
flat affect
monotone and unemotional
55
flexion
bending movement where the angle between the bones of the limb and the joint decreases
56
fluctuance
palpable fluid collection under the skin, common sign of abscess
57
friction rub
scratching sound of the heart via auscultation
58
frontal
anterior portion of scalp and forehead
59
gallop
extra heart sounds via auscultation (S3 or S4)
60
guarding
involuntary tensing of the abdominal wall muscles to protect internal organs in acute process
61
hemiparesis
unilateral weakness
62
hemiplegia
unilateral paralysis
63
hepatomegaly
enlargement of the liver
64
hernia
protrusion of tissue out of a body cavity
65
hyperesthesia
hypersensitivity of skin
66
hyperpigmentation
area of skin that is darker than surrounding skin
67
hypertension
elevated blood pressure
68
hypopigmentation
area of skin that is lighter than surrounding skin
69
hypotension
low blood pressure
70
icterus
yellowing of the sclera of the eyes
71
inconsolable
unable to be comforted; for example, inability to get an infant to stop crying
72
induration
hardened area of tissue
73
inferior
lower, away from the head
74
inguinal
groin region
75
inverted
turned inward
76
irregularly irregular
heart sounds heart with atrial fibrillation
77
jaundice
yellowing of skin due to hyperbilirubinemia
78
jugular venous distension (JVD)
distension of the neck veins due to fluid overload or CHF
79
JVD
jugular vein distension
80
keloid
raised scar
81
kyphosis
forward rounding of the back
82
laceration
cut in or through the skin or other tissues
83
lateral
away from the midline, toward the sides
84
LLL
lower left lobe
85
LLQ
left lower quadrant
86
lordosis
curving inward of the lower back
87
L-spine
Lumbar spine, L1-L5
88
LUL
left upper lobe
89
LUQ
left upper quadrant
90
lymphadenopathy
enlargement of a lymph node
91
macular
flattened, erythematous spots on the skin
92
maculopapular
rash displaying flat, red areas with several raised areas
93
malnourished
poor nutritional state consistent with thin and frail appearance
94
McBurney point
point in the RLQ that is associated with appendicitis
95
medial
toward the midline/median plane
96
meningismus
stiffening of the neck muscles
97
midline
divides the body into left and right halves
98
morbidly obese
extremely overweight, BMI >45
99
mottled
description of skin with significant hypoperfusion (loss of circulating fluid); marked by hypotension and coldness of the skin
100
murmur
abnormal heart sound, graded on scale of I-VI
101
Murphy sign
pain with palpation of the RUQ with inspiration (tests for cholecystitis)
102
nasal flaring
enlargement of nostrils when breathing; sign of respiratory distress
103
nystagmus
involuntary eye movements where eyes appear to be shaking
104
obturator sign
pain in the RLQ with internal rotation of the right hip; indicative of appendicitis
105
occipital/occiput
posterior area of head/scalp
106
oriented x3
oriented to person, place, and time
107
oropharynx
posterior mouth meeting the superior aspect of the throat
108
pallor
unhealthy pale appearance; abnormal loss of color from skin
109
palmar
relating to the palm, interchangeable with volar
110
palpable
able to be felt and easily perceived
111
papilledema
swelling of the optic nerve sheath
112
papular
raised bumps, often associated with rash
113
percussing
tapping on the abdomen like a drum
114
peritoneal signs
exam findings indicating an acute abdomen
115
PERRL
pupils equal, round, reactive to light
116
petechiae
small purple or red skin discolorations that do not blanch (petechiae appear when capillaries bleed, leaking blood into the skin)
117
pitting edema
swelling that retains an imprint upon palpation
118
plantar
relating to the sole of the foot
119
posterior
relating to the rear or the back, interchangeable with dorsal
120
pronate
turn the palm of the hand downward, turn out of anatomical position
121
prone
body position lying face down
122
proximal
closer to the limb root
123
psoas sign
RLQ pain with extension of the right thigh, sign of appendicitis
124
purulent
relating to pus
125
radial
aspect of the lateral forearm when in anatomic position
126
rales
wet crackling sound by auscultation of the lungs
127
rebound
pain when releasing from abdominal palpation, also called Blumberg sign
128
retractions
visible sinking of the skin between ribs during breathing, indicative of respiratory distress and use of accessory muscles
129
rhonchi
coarse rattling respiratory sound; often thick mucous sound by auscultation of the lungs
130
rigidity
stiffness of the abdominal wall muscles due to an acute abdominal process
131
RLQ
right lower quadrant
132
ROM
range of motion
133
Romberg sign
falling to one side when standing with feet together and eyes closed
134
Rovsing sign
pain in the RLQ when the LLQ is palpated (indicative of appendicitis)
135
RRR
regular rate and rhythm
136
RUQ
right upper quadrant
137
scoliosis
sideways curvature of the spine
138
serosanguinous
consisting of yellowish serum and blood (may also be spelled serosanguineous)
139
serous
consisting of yellowish serum
140
somnolent
appearing very drowsy
141
splenomegaly
enlarged spleen
142
straight leg raise
physical exam test to evaluate for sciatica
143
stridor
high-pitched upper airway sound
144
subluxation
partial dislocation
145
subungual
beneath a nail
146
sunken eyes
eyes appear to be depressed, consisting with dehydration
147
superficial
near to the surface
148
supinate
turning the palm facing upward or forward
149
supine
body position when lying face up
150
supple
flexible and freely mobile; common descriptor in neck exam
151
suprapubic
lower central region of abdomen
152
T spine
thoracic spine; T1-T12
153
tachycardia
fast heart rate, >100 bpm
154
tachypnea
increased respiratory rate
155
temporal
the sides of the head
156
tenting
slow return of skin to normal position after pinching the area- a sign of dehydration
157
turgor
skin elasticity
158
tympanic membrane (TM)
eardrum
159
tympany
bell-like sound when percussing the abdomen
160
ulnar
pertaining to the medial side of the arm when in anatomic position
161
uncooperative
does not follow commands
162
unkempt
poor self-hygiene
163
urticaria
hives, sign of allergic reaction
164
vesicle
fluid or air-filled cavity or sac
165
volar
relating to the palm/sole of the foot (interchangeable with palmar)
166
weal (pl. wheals)
often a description of an uticarial plaque (a red swollen mark on the body)
167
well-developed
normal state of body and mental development and wellness
168
wheezing
high-pitched lung sounds, often due to bronchospasm
