Physical Examination Mnemonics part 3

Physical

Examination

Mnemonics

Health related behavior (HRB) topics: history taking "Healthy SEEDS":

Substances (alcohol, tobacco, IV drugs?) Env ironment (hazards at home or work? feel safe?) Exercise (what do y ou do? how often do y ou do it?) Diet (any special diet?)

Sex (active with m/f/both? >1 partner? safe sex? STD history? difficulty with arousal or orgasm? history of abuse?)

· I find this order works well: patients most expect to be asked about alcohol and they least want to talk about their STD history, but taking a solid HRB history first reassures them that it's all part of good medical care.

Pain history checklist LOST WAR:

Location

Onset

Severity

Time

Worsening factors

Alleviating factors

Radiation

Short statue causes RETARD HEIGHT:

Rickets

Endocrine (cretinism, hy popituitarism, Cushing's)

Turner syndrome

Achondroplasia

Respiratory(suppurative lung disease)

Down sy ndrome

Hereditary

Environmental (postirradiation, postinfectious)

IUGR

GI (malabsorption)

Heart (congenital heart disease)

Tilted backbone (scoliosis)

Ascultation: crackles (rales) "PEBbles":

Pneumonia

Edema of lung

Bronchitis

Pain history checklist CHLORIDE:

CHaracter (stabbing, throbbing, etc.)

Location

Onset

Radiation

Intensity

Duration

Exacerbating and alleviating factors

Differential diagnosis CIMETIDINE:

Congenital

Infection/ Inflammatory

Metabolic

Endocrine

Trauma

Iatrogenic

Degenerative

Idiopathic

Neoplastic

Everything else

Sign vs. symptom Remember Ace of Base's song that goes like this:

"I Saw the Sign, and it opened up my eyes". The physician sees the signs.