Week 2 Abdomen Flashcards
Common or concerning symptoms of GI disorders
Indigestion
Nausea
Vomiting
Hematemesis
Abdominal pain
Dysphasia
Odynophobia
Change in bowel functions
Constipation
Diarrhea
Jaundice
Ask the patient about bowel movements
Frequency of BMs
Consistency
Pain with BM
blood, black/tarry stool
Color
Jaundice
History taking of problems of the abdomen
Prior medical problems related to abdomen
Surgeries of abdomen
Any foreign travel and occupational hazards
Use of tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs
Med history
Hereditary disorders
Regurgitation
Vomiting
History taking of problems of abdomen: urinary tract
Frequency
Urgency
Pain
Color and smell
Difficulty starting
Leakage
Back pain
Visceral (somatic or nociceptive) pain
Forceful contraction or distention of hollow organs (stomach, colon). Solid organs (liver, spleen) can also generate this type of pain when they swell against their capsules
Gnawing cramping colicky aching
Parietal pain (inflammatory)
Inflammation from the hollow or solid organs that affect the parietal peritoneum. Parietal pain is more severe and is usually easily localized (ex appendicitis)
Referred pain
Originates at different sites but shares innovation from the same spinal level
Abdominal exam rubric
Inspect
Auscultation
Percuss
Light palpate
Deep palpate
Palpate other organs
Tympany
High pitched musical sound that indicates a hollow space filled by air or gas in stomach/intestines
Dullness
Suggests fluid or underlying organs like spleen or liver
Signs of acute abdomen
Abdominal pain with coughing
Rigidity
Guarding
Rebound tenderness
Percussion tenderness
Costovertebral angle (CVA)
Ulnar side of first lightly tap to note tenderness
Obturator sign
+ pain with inward rotation of hip with knee bent
Flip on left side, bring leg into flexion
Psoas sign
+pain with hand on thigh, ask patient to raise in opposition; contracts psoas muscle and produces pain in RLQ
Rovsings sign
+rebound tenderness of RLQ on palpitation of LLQ
