A medical sign is an objective indication of some
medical fact or characteristic that may be detected by a physician during a
physical examination of a patient. Here are some signs which is commonly use in Medicine :
☞ Aaron’s sign
Thi sign is seen in appendicitis. On firm
pressure over the McBurney’s point the patient with appendicitis will feel
distress in the epigastrium or precordial region.
☞ Abadie’sign
This is the test of Muscle sense .Compress or
squeeze big muscle bellies (calf,` triceps or biceps)and note whether the
patient complains of pain (Abadie’sign ).This is the test of pressure sense
too.
☞ Adler’s sign
This is seen in Ectopic pregnancy .The abdominal
tenderness is fixed ,even when the patient is turned from side to side.
☞ Albright sign
Metacarpels are shortened in
pseudohypoparathyroidism , nevoid basal cell carcinoma ,turner and
Larsen .In the presence of short fourth metacarpal ,there will be a
dimple at the metacarpophalangeal joint.
☞ Ball sign
It is seen in fetal death .There will be
hyperflexion of the spine.
☞ Chvostek’s sign
The facial nerve is tapped at its exit from the
stylomastoid foramen. This leads to brief twitching of the facial muscles, ala
of the nose and the blinking of the eyelids. .Elevation of the corner of mouth
may b e seen.
☞ Cullen sign
A bluish discoloration seen around the umbilicus
in patients with acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis.
☞ Flag sign
Flag sign may be seen in Kwashiorkor. The hair
will be alternately normal and depigmented. The hair in cases of severe
malnutrition will be hypopigmented. As the nutrition improves the pigmentation
of the hair will be normal. Hence the hair will be alternately normally
pigmented and hypopigmented, giving the appearance of a flag
☞ Gonda sign
Extensor response is elicited after forceful
stretching or snapping of distal phalanx of either of the 2nd or 4th toe.
This sign is seen in pregnancy. There is light,
painless irregular uterine contractions which increase in frequency and
intensity as the pregnancy advances.
☞ Kernig’s sign
The patient lies supine .The hip is flexed and
the knee is extended passively. In patients with meningitis there will be pain
and spasm of hamstrings.
It is positive in meningeal irritation and sub
arachnoid haemorrhage. It is relatively less important in infancy and early
childhood as it may be negative in spite of meningeal involvement.
However, it is a very useful sign in older children.
☞ Murphy’s Sign
Ask the patient to breathe in deeply and palpate
for gall bladder. At the height of inspiration the breath is arrested
with a gasp as the mass is felt. This is the sign of acute cholecystitis.
☞ Romana’s sign
in Chaga’s disease ,.there will be unilateral
painless oedema of the periorbital tissues .it is due to infection through the
conjunctiva.
☞ Rovsing’s sign
In appendicitis, when the abdomen is pressed on
the left iliac region ,there will be pain in the right side. This is due to the
stretching of the inflamed peritoneum on the right side.
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