Definition

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:

Lots More Information:
Inspection
Palpation
Auscultation
Percussion

Review Date:1/22/2007
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.