Oral Palpation
Oral Palpation - Related Videos
05:18
Palpation
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2023
Source: Jaideep S. Talwalkar, MD, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT The physical examination requires the use of all of the provider's senses to gain information about the patient. The sense of touch is utilized to obtain diagnostic information through palpation. The specific parts of the examiner's hand used for palpation differ based on the body part being examined. Because of their dense sensory innervation, the finger pads are useful for fine...
08:25
Abdominal Exam III: Palpation
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2023
Source: Alexander Goldfarb, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA Abdominal palpation, if performed correctly, allows for examination of the large and relatively superficial organs; for a skilled examiner, it allows for assessment of the smaller and deeper structures as well. The amount of information that can be obtained by palpation of the abdominal area also depends on the anatomical characteristics of the patient. For example, obesity might make...
09:59
Respiratory Exam I: Inspection and Palpation
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2023
Source: Suneel Dhand, MD, Attending Physician, Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Disorders of the respiratory system with a chief complaint of shortness of breath are among the most common reasons for both outpatient and inpatient evaluation. The most obvious visible clue to a respiratory problem will be whether the patient is displaying any signs of respiratory distress, such as fast respiratory rate and/or cyanosis. In a clinical situation, this will always require...
07:39
Cardiac Exam I: Inspection and Palpation
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2023
Source: Suneel Dhand, MD, Attending Physician, Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center The cardiac assessment is one of the core examinations performed by almost every physician whenever encountering a patient. Disorders of the cardiac system are among the most common reasons for hospital admission, with conditions ranging from myocardial infarction to congestive heart failure. Learning a complete and thorough cardiac examination is therefore crucial for any practicing physician.
08:46
Nose, Sinuses, Oral Cavity and Pharynx Exam
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2023
Source: Richard Glickman-Simon, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, MA This video provides an overview of sinus, nose, and throat examinations. The demonstration begins with a brief overview of the anatomy of the region. The upper third of the nose is bony, and the bottom two-thirds are cartilaginous. Air entering the nares passes through the nasal vestibules and into the narrow passageway between the nasal septum...
FAQs
Controlled pressure allows clinicians to assess how oral tissues respond to touch rather than relying only on surface appearance. By noting consistency, tenderness, mobility, temperature, swelling, and contour changes, the examiner can distinguish expected anatomy from findings that may indicate inflammation, infection, a lesion, or another abnormality.
Consistency, tenderness, mobility, temperature, swelling, and contour are not interchangeable observations. Together, they characterize the physical behavior and condition of a finding, including firmness or softness, pain with contact, movement, warmth or coolness, enlargement, and altered shape. Considering this combination helps identify changes that may warrant further clinical evaluation.
Examining multiple regions matters because abnormalities may involve different structures or tissue systems. Assessment of the lips, cheeks, tongue, floor of the mouth, palate, and jaw can contribute to evaluation of dental, periodontal, salivary gland, muscular, and lymphatic conditions. Broad coverage allows the examination to address more than one possible source of an abnormal finding.
Oral palpation adds information about physical characteristics that may not be established through visual inspection alone, while patient history contributes additional clinical context. Using these approaches together supports a broader assessment of oral findings. This combined evaluation helps clinicians decide whether an observed change appears to require imaging, laboratory testing, referral, or follow-up.
During a systematic session, the clinician works through the named oral regions and applies controlled pressure while assessing consistency, tenderness, mobility, temperature, swelling, and contour. The examination can be integrated with visual inspection and patient history, creating a structured clinical assessment before deciding whether imaging, laboratory testing, referral, or follow-up is appropriate.
A finding may lead to imaging, laboratory testing, referral, or follow-up when palpation identifies a possible lesion, inflammation, infection, or other abnormality. Palpation does not replace those investigations; instead, its findings help indicate when further evaluation may be necessary. The appropriate next step depends on the clinical finding and the broader assessment.
In clinical practice, oral palpation can support assessment of dental and periodontal conditions as well as problems involving salivary glands, muscles, and lymphatic structures. It can also help identify changes associated with lesions, inflammation, or infection. These applications make the technique useful as part of a broader oral examination rather than as an isolated procedure.