Physical examination

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During a physical examination, a health care provider studies a patient's body to determine the presence or absence of physical problems.

A typical physical examination includes:

• Inspection (looking at the body)
• Palpation (feeling the body with hands)
• Auscultation (listening to sounds)
• Percussion (producing sounds)

Review Date: 01/22/2007
Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.