Physical Assessment Glossary

movement away from the midline

cyanosis of the extremities (vs. central cyanosis which involves mucous membranes)

disease characterized by enlarged features, especially the face and hands, caused by hypersecretion of the pituitary growth hormone after puberty, when normal bone growth has stopped; most often caused by a pituitary tumor

sharp; having severe symptoms and a short course

movement towards the midline

emotional feeling or mood

side effect of antipsychotic medication; sensation of needing to move about, restlessness

hair loss

a drug that temporarily blocks transmission of nerve conduction to produce a loss of sensations

loss of ability to experience pleasure

absence of one or both testes

loss of appetite

front of the body

a drug that kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms

inability to swallow

canker sores

any of several kinds of irregularity or loss of rhythm of the heartbeat

joint pain

a joint; the point where two bones come together

an accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity

flapping tremor characteristic of metabolic encephalopathy

eyestrain

defective muscular coordination

collapse of lung tissue

shrinking of muscle size

a physical examination method of listening to sounds within the body with a stethoscope

mild or noncancerous

removal of a small piece of tissue for microscopic pathologic examination

interruption of train of thought before finishing a statement

abnormal dilation of the bronchi with accumulation of mucus

adventitious sound of arterial origin heard on auscultation

in the cheek

malnourished; wasted

dental cavity

drug that causes movement of the bowels

treatment of malignancies, infections, and other diseases with chemical agents that destroy selected cells or impair the ability to reproduce

a statement in the patient's words as to the purpose of the encounter

a condition developing slowly and persisting over a period of time

speech which contains excessive digression between subjects

speech based on sound relationships rather than logical connections (punning, rhyming)

leg cramping/pain during walking due to arterial insufficiency

a deep sleep; a general term referring to levels of decreased consciousness with varying responsiveness; a common method of assessment is the Glasgow coma scale

ritualistic or stereotyped action

facts or events that are not remembered are made up

palpable thrombosis of vein

head cold; inflammation of the nasal mucous membranes

grating noise or sensation related to joint motion

bluish coloration due to accumulation of deoxygenated hemoglobin

removal of dead tissue from a wound or burn site to promote healing and to prevent infection

lying down, especially in a bed

mechanisms which provide relief from unwanted feelings and conflicts

false, unshakable belief firmly held in the face of contradictory evidence

failure to acknowledge reality

speech that stops and then resumes on an entirely different topic

sweating

to expand; period in the cardiac cycle when blood enters the relaxed ventricles from the atria

double vision

away from the beginning of the structure

difficult and defective speech due to impairment of the tongue or other muscles

painful menses

painful intercourse

difficulty in swallowing

hoarseness

sadness

shortness of breath

painful or difficult urination

swelling

freudian term used to describe the part of the mind that deals with reality

vomit

involuntary loss of urine, usually referring to during sleep

nosebleed

belching

redness of skin

study of the cause of a disease

increase in severity of disease with aggravation of symptoms

abnormal protrusion of eyeball

coughing up and spitting out of material from lungs

straightening at the joint so that the angle between the bones is increased

an account of the health status of the patient's immediate and extended family

gas in the intestinal tract or its expulsion

bending at the joint so the angle between the bones is decreased

speech and thought that jumps from one idea to another rapidly

feeling that insects are crawling on the skin

delivered after completion of 37th week

glucose in the urine

enlargement of the thyroid gland

pregnant

number of pregnancies

development of mammary glands in the male, caused by altered hormone levels

bad breath

false sensory perceptions; perception in the absence of external stimulus

vomiting of blood

visible blood in the stool

referring to the blood or blood-forming organisms

blood in the urine

coughing up blood

abnormal delay in onset of urinary stream

shaggy; an excessive growth of hair, especially in unusual places

story that a clinician composes to help himself and others understand the patient's illness

story of the chief complaint from start to present (each current but unrelated problem gets its own HxPI

increased sensitivity to stimulation such as touch or pain

deep breathing

shallow breathing

freudian term used to describe the part of the mind that contains sexuality and aggression

demographic and situational data regarding the patient, e.g. age, gender, etc

a condition occurring without a clearly identified cause

misinterpretation of real perceptions

failure to initiate or maintain an erection until ejaculation because of physical or psychological dysfunction

involuntary loss of urine or feces

away from the head

interpersonal process during which the raw material of the medical history is evoked

yellow discoloration due to accumulation of billirubin

secretion of tears

toward the side

sex drive

illogical shifting of topics

abnormality, usually implying enlargement, or lymph nodes

feeling of unwellness

harmful or cancerous

significant

toward the middle

black, tarry stool due to blood in stool from upper gastrointestinal tract that has been denatured in transit

first menses

irregular and excessive menstrual bleeding

excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding

irregular, acyclic bleeding

abnormal contraction of the pupils

time just prior to menstrual flow

sick; a diseased state

the state of being subject to death

complete lack of speech

muscle pain

use of words invented by the patient

pain along the course of a nerve

having to get up at night to urinate

neurological exam grossly normal

oscillatory movement of the eyes

ideas, images, impulses that are undesired and intrusive

pain upon swallowing

reduction of frequency of menses

scanty production of urine

shortness of breath related to the recumbant position

earache

purulent drainage from the ear

to bear; a woman who has produced one or more viable offspring

impaired hearing

abnormal sensation of numbness and tingling without objective cause; pins and needles sensation

shortness of breath related to the recumbant position that awakens the patient

account of the patient's lifelong medical problems and interventions for them

pigeon chest

funnel chest

repetition of identical words and phrases

ocular pain related to exposure to light

inflammation of the pleura

air in the urine

excessive thirst

excessive hunger

excessive urination (in quantity)

back of the body

speech that is adequate in amount and conveys little information

speech that is rapid, difficult to interrupt and increased in amount

infant delivered before completion of 37th week of gestation

first pregnancy

turning downward or backward of the palmar surface

lying face down and flat

a process or measure that prevents disease

forward displacement of eyeball

toward the beginning or origin of the structure

severe itching

heartburn

lying down

a period in which symptoms and signs stop or abate

exhaustive list of symptoms grouped according to which bodily system they refer to

nasal discharge

pleural or pericardial friction rub

islandlike blind gap in the visual field

a mark; objective evidence of disease that can be seen or verified by an examiner

a detailing of the patient's lifestyle and personal habits

substance expelled by cough or clearing of the throat

painful and interrupted urination in drop produced by spasmodic muscular contraction of urethra and bladder

toward the head

turning upward or forward or the palmar surface

horizontal recumbent; lying flat on the back

production of purulent matter (pus)

an experience obtained from the medical history that suggests disease or physical dysfunction described in the history by the patient

transient loss of consciousness

relating to the whole body rather than only one part

to contract; period in the cardiac cycle when the heart is in contraction and blood is ejected through the aorta and pulmonary artery

thought which shifts to associated topics and never returns to the original subject

a subjective ringing sensation in the ear

appearing gravely ill

abnormally strong desire to void

hives

sensation of moving around in space (subjective vertigo) or the environment moving about the person (objective vertigo)

incoherent speech, with words and phrases having little or no association to each other

dry skin