CLINICAL METHODS OF PATIENT’S EXAMINATION

Before the treatment of a disease it is necessary to make diagnosis, to determine the cause of the disease, and all symptoms by which it can be revealed.

Correct diagnosis must be based on a complete clinical examination of the patient.

The usual methods of physical examination which doctors use in daily practice are: inquiry, inspection, auscultation, palpation, percussion, taking the temperature, counting the pulse rate, taking the blood pressure, making X-ray examinations and various laboratory studies.

By questioning the patient the doctor learns about his complaints, the onset and duration of present illness. It is important to take a careful past history, family history, to reveal hereditary disorders and causes of death of immediate relatives. Assessment of mental and emotional state of a patient may also give valuable information to the doctor.

Inspection is the method by which doctor reveals the appearance of the patient, his build, the state of his skin, mucous membranes, tongue, pupils, etc. Doctor must observe the patient’s hands, feet, shape of the chest. He must palpate lymphatic and salivary glands.

By palpation the doctor determines elasticity or rigidity of the abdomen, the outlines or the enlargement of the abdominal organs, swelling, edema and existence of growth.

While auscultating the patient, the physician can determine the abnormal heart sounds, crepitations and râles in the lungs.

Percussion reveals dullness of sound and distribution of fluids in the body.

The temperature is taken by means of thermometer to ascertain whether the patient has or has no temperature.

The blood pressure is measured by means of tonometer to find out whether the patient is suffering from hypertension or hypotension.

The patient’s pulse is counted to assess its rate and rhythm. The normal pulse rate is 65-70 beats per minute.

In diagnostics of diseases various laboratory and instrumental methods of investigation are applied.

The laboratory investigations such as various blood and urine tests, stool studies and sputum, bile examinations may be very informative.

Patient’s swabs or smears are taken for cytologic examination. If the patient suffers from any kind of allergy it is necessary to make allergy tests. Mantoux’s test is used to detect the presence of tuberculous infection.

Biopsy specimens are taken to specify the character of tumour.

Valuable information may be obtained using modern roentgenologic, endoscopic and ultrasound methods of investigation. With the help of these investigations it is possible to determine position, shape, size, structure and pathology of the internal organs.

The methods of instrumental investigations require special preparation of the patients.

The results of physical examination, laborаtоry and instrumental investigations аre recorded into the patient’s case history.

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DISEASE: SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS	\|	METHODS OF DENTAL EXAMINATION OF THE PATIENT

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