(d) Position and consistency sense. The grasping fingers are used.
You perceive from your joints and muscles.
(2) Structures examined by palpation. This includes every part of the body
accessible to the examining fingers.
(a) All external structures (that is, hair, extremities, and so forth).
(b) Internal structures. These may be felt beneath exterior covering
(for example, spleen, liver, bladder, testes, ribs, bones, masses, and so forth).
(3)
Qualities elicited by palpation.
(a) Texture of skin and hair.
(b) Moisture of skin and mucosa.
(c)
Skin temperature, various levels of the body.
(d) Masses (shape, size, consistency, motility, pulsatility).
(e) Tenderness of all accessible tissues.
(f)
Crepitus (a crackling sound or grating/grinding sensation perceived
upon touch).
(g)
Unusual vibrations, (for example, some heart murmurs produce
"thrills").
(h) Hydration.
1 Dehydration of tissues is described as loss of skin turgor (when
the skin does not resume its natural shape after pinching).
2 Overhydration of tissues (presence of edema) is demonstrated
by pressing your thumb into swollen skin (if indentation persists for a short time, it is
termed "pitting edema").
d. Percussion. This is a method of examination by which the surface of the
body is struck by one or more fingers to emit sounds that vary in quality according to the
density of underlying tissue.
(1) Example: Tap a hallow object and listen to the sound as opposed to
tapping a solid object.
MD0550
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