Point tenderness

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Anatomical landmarks, front view

Appendix

The term point tenderness usually refers to pain felt when pressure is applied over a specific point on the abdomen.

The abdomen is an area of the body a doctor can easily examine by touch. The doctor can feel masses and organs within the abdomen and pinpoint where you feel pain.

Abdominal tenderness spans a spectrum from mild tenderness to severe pain. Rebound tenderness occurs when the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum) is irritated, inflamed, or infected (peritonitis ).

With peritonitis, the patient will often tense the abdominal-wall muscles when the abdomen is touched by the doctor. This is called "guarding." Point tenderness is a more general term which defines tenderness in a particular location.

The most common location that shows point tenderness is McBurney's point. This is located by drawing a line from the navel to the highest part of the pelvic bone on the right side (iliac crest). Divide the line into three equal lengths. McBurney's point is 2/3 of the way up from the navel to the iliac crest. Pressure over this point will cause pain in people with symptoms of appendicitis.

• Appendicitis
• Incarcerated or strangulated hernia
• Ovarian torsion (twisted Fallopian tube)
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Abdominal abscess
• Hepatitis
• Diverticular disease
• Meckel's diverticulum

Review Date: 06/10/2005
Reviewed By: Joseph P. Hart, MD, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.