Learning a systematic clinical examination of the abdomen
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Notes from the teaching rooms for medical students on the order of the examination, the common mistakes, and how to document the findings.
Before you start
- Introduce yourself, ask permission and explain what you will do
- Position the patient comfortably
- Clarify pain: location, timing, aggravating and relieving factors
A systematic order
- Inspection: contour, scars, distension, respiratory movement
- Palpation: superficial then deep, tenderness, masses, guarding
- Percussion: bowel gas pattern or shifting dullness when relevant
- Auscultation: bowel sounds and vascular bruits when indicated
Common mistakes
- Starting palpation directly over the most painful area
- Forgetting to assess hernias when there is a bulge history
- Recording only abnormal findings and omitting normal ones
Documentation
Write clearly: location, size, consistency, movement with breathing, and whether the mass is tender. Good notes help the whole team and reduce misunderstandings.
Method beats speed: the same order every time prevents missed signs.
This article is for general awareness and is not a diagnosis or a treatment plan for any specific case. To have your case assessed, please book a clinic appointment.
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