We instinctively shield our abdomen when we are physically threatened, and we may feel vulnerable when someone puts his or her hand on our bare abdomen. Therefore, with an abdominal examination the ...

Physical examination should be used to first identify unstable patients who need immediate attention. 1 Vital signs and body weight should be measured. Dehydration is common because of diarrhea, which ...

Medically reviewed by Jay N. Yepuri, MD Key Takeaways Lower abdominal pain is not a disease but a symptom of various ...

A 53-year-old woman presented with a 6-month history of discomfort and fullness on the right side of her abdomen. She denied having gastrointestinal symptoms, weight loss or back pain. Abdominal ...

Note the location, quality, radiation, severity, and timing of the discomfort: Right upper quadrant discomfort suggests cholecystitis (check the Murphy sign), hepatitis, passive congestion, or ...