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Physical examination Health Article

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The Back-to-School Physical: Why Does it Matter?

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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:

Inspection (looking at the body)
Palpation (feeling the body with hands)
Auscultation (listening to sounds)
Percussion (producing sounds)

Reviewer Info: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.; ADAM Health Illustrated Encyclopedia, 01/22/2007

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