Palpation is a medical method of examining a patient. Produced as a preventive and therapeutic measure. The doctor examines the patient's pulse, controls how various internal organs react to touch. Research has been common since the 19th century. Nowadays, this is the only medical method that allows full contact between the patient and the doctor.
Operation principle
Palpation works on tactile sensations provoked by touch, squeezing with fingers, one or even two palms of the doctor. The specialist works directly with the patient's body, determining the features and shortcomings of the outer integument, finding out the state of the organs inside. With a high level specialist, palpation guarantees an accurate determination:
- location (which is especially important for displacements, congenital deformities);
- dimensions of internal organs, shape;
- mobility.
Palpation is an important method to determine how painful a particular organ feels in the human (but not only) body.
Subspecies of technology
There are large subtypes: deep, superficial.
Superficial palpation is the study of external factors. The specialist pays attention to the joints, skin,vessels. The process involves one or both hands. They are placed on the skin of the diseased part of the body, and the vessels are probed with the fingertips. The variety is applied rather narrowly, as a rule, at consultations.
Deep palpation is a technique necessary for a detailed examination to find out how well the internal organs are functioning. It is indispensable when the superficial is not able to give results due to the location of the diseased area. Since the technique is widespread, several subtypes have been developed:
- Deep dive. In this case, the doctor, during the diagnosis, dips his fingers directly into the diseased areas. So you can check how well the joints, muscles function, check the condition of the bones and adrenal glands.
- Deep moving average. This technique is necessary when studying the abdominal cavity. The doctor receives data on problem areas by examining the abdominal wall, while using his fingertips he slides right along the cavity. Literally the first seconds allow you to get a response from the body, on the basis of which it is possible to accurately establish the diagnosis and the source of the problem.
- Balloting, known as the "push method". Such examination-palpation is indispensable for diseases of the liver and tumors of the abdominal cavity. The effectiveness of the method is highest when it comes to ascites. The abdominal wall is pushed with gentle movements, so that the organ takes the correct position. They note the effectiveness of the approach in other diseases.
Features
Percussion, palpation - two widecommon methods for making an accurate diagnosis. Both technologies became the basis for the development of medicine in the field of physical examination.
Palpation is performed when the patient is lying or standing. First, a superficial study is carried out, which helps to localize pain on palpation and determine which internal organs it corresponds to. When performing the procedure, they are guided by the patient's breathing.
Methodology
If it is necessary to provide an examination of the stomach, the doctor bends and puts his fingers together a little, then gently exhales into the abdominal cavity in such a way as to reach the back wall. This presses on the stomach. The organ should slip under your fingers. The information obtained during the study helps to establish how large the organ is and what its shape is. Pain on palpation allows you to assess possible damage and establish an accurate diagnosis. By means of the method, the presence of tumors is found out or data is obtained that the curvature of the stomach is not normal. However, it must be remembered that if the tumor has arisen in the cardial part of the organ, it will not be possible to find it with the help of palpation, it is necessary to carry out an x-ray.
Palpation: rare methods
In addition to the two types of studies described above, there are two more options for studying the body. They are less widespread, but nevertheless they take place:
- bimanual;
- jerky.
Ballot jerky is carried out with the help of a fist. The doctor conducts jerky movements in a short series of sufficiently strongblows. With the help of this technology, you can understand what is in the abdominal cavity, in the intestines. If the organs are overfilled with liquid, splashing is heard.
When bimanual probing is done with both hands at the same time. This technique provides simultaneous coverage of a large area. You can find out the presence of a tumor, examine the entire abdominal cavity, the kidney at the same time.
The method is widely used in veterinary medicine, as it is applicable to medium-sized living creatures. One of the options for conducting the study: both hands are placed on the surface of the body and one is pressed on one side, and the other on the opposite side.
But if he alth problems are associated with the rectum or oral cavity, if pain in organs accessible rectally, one has to resort to internal palpation of the patient.
