physical examination

Meaning of physical examination: A physical examination is a hands on assessment of the body performed to detect signs of disease and evaluate overall health.

Definition of physical examination

A physical examination is an assessment of the body performed by a clinician to check for general signs of disease and to evaluate overall health. It typically combines several techniques, including inspection, simply observing the body for visible abnormalities, palpation, using the hands to feel for changes in size, texture, or tenderness, percussion, tapping on the body to assess underlying structures by the resulting sound, and auscultation, listening to internal sounds such as the heart, lungs, and abdomen, usually with a stethoscope.

The specific components of a physical examination vary depending on a person's symptoms, medical history, and the reason for the visit, ranging from a brief, focused examination of a single body area to a more comprehensive examination covering multiple body systems. A physical examination is often performed alongside a review of a person's medical history and, when needed, laboratory testing or imaging.

Findings from a physical examination help guide what further evaluation, if any, is needed and contribute to forming or narrowing a working diagnosis.