lung and airway disorders
Medical History and Physical Examination for Lung Disorders
Physical Examination for Lung Disorders
During the physical examination, a doctor notes the person's weight and overall appearance. The person's general mood and feeling of well-being, which also may be affected by a lung or airway disorder, are noted. A doctor may ask a person to walk around or climb a flight of stairs to see if either activity causes Shortness of Breath . These activities may be done while measuring pulse oximetry, which is a way to quantify the amount of oxygen in the blood. Use of Assessing skin color is important because a bluish or grayish discoloration ( Cyanosis ) may indicate an inadequate amount of oxygen in the blood. Fingers are examined for A doctor observes the chest to determine if the breathing rate and movements are normal. Using a stethoscope, a doctor listens to the breath sounds to determine whether airflow is normal or obstructed, whether the lungs contain fluid, or whether there are any abnormal lung sounds. By tapping (percussing) the chest and/or by feeling how vibrations resulting from speaking are transmitted to the chest wall, a doctor can often determine if the lungs are filled with air or collapsed and if the space around the lungs contains fluid. In addition to examination of the chest, a complete physical examination may be needed, because disorders of the lungs may affect other parts of the body. Additionally, some symptoms that seem to suggest a lung disorder may be due to a problem elsewhere in the body. For example, Shortness of Breath might reflect an abnormality of the kidneys or heart. 