Why do doctors feel behind your ears?

Feeling your neck and under your ears is a way to see if your lymph nodes (often referred to as glands) are enlarged. It's normal for them to increase in size when your body is fighting an infection.

Why do doctors always check your neck?

When your doctor is palpating the sides of your neck, they're checking for swollen lymph nodes—also known as swollen glands, Dr. Clark says. They may also cup your chin in both hands to check out the lymph nodes in front of and behind your ears.

Why do cardiologists look at your neck?

Finally, examining your neck can reveal possible circulatory problems. Your healthcare provider uses 2 fingers on each side of your neck to feel your carotid pulses. The right and left carotid arteries supply blood to your brain. Weak pulses could show a problem with the aortic valve or with the aorta.

Why do doctors ask you to squeeze their fingers?

This test is used to determine whether your fingers or thumbs flex involuntarily in response to certain triggers. The way that your fingers or thumbs react may be a sign of an underlying condition affecting your central nervous system.

What are doctors looking for when they press on your stomach?

Pressing on your stomach is a way to find out if the size of your internal organs is normal, to check if anything hurts, and to feel if anything unusual is going on. Looking, listening, and feeling are all part of a physical exam.

How to check your lymph nodes

What organs are by your belly button?

This part of your abdomen is referred to as the umbilical region. It contains parts of your stomach, small and large intestine, and your pancreas.

Why do doctors touch your breasts?

Breast exams help doctors check that everything's normal. During a breast exam, a doctor or nurse practitioner will feel a woman's breasts to check any lumps and bumps and see if there are changes since the last exam. Doctors don't usually start doing breast exams until a woman is in her 20s.

Why do doctors push on your stomach to see if your pregnant?

In women, the exam can also give information about the uterus and ovaries. When your healthcare provider presses on your belly, they are feeling to see if any of these organs are enlarged or painful. That might be a sign of problems that need more assessment.

What do doctors do during a physical for a girl?

Your doctor will both visually and physically examine your vagina, vulva, and cervix, checking for any abnormalities that may be indicative of cancer, sexually transmitted disease, or other benign condition.

Why do doctors shine a light in your eyes?

You've seen it on television: A doctor shines a bright light into an unconscious patient's eye to check for brain death. If the pupil constricts, the brain is OK, because in mammals, the brain controls the pupil.

How do I know if my heart is OK?

Diagnostic tests could include blood tests, cardiac CT scan, cardiac MRI, cardiac catheterization, coronary angiography, echocardiography, stress testing, electrocardiogram and others.

How do you know if your heart is weak?

Why do cardiologists look at your hands?

The examination of the hand and nails can lead to a number of diagnoses. Some of these include liver disease (Terry's nails), kidney disease (Lindsay's nails), lung disease (nail clubbing), endocarditis and many others.

Do doctors touch patients anymore?

Doctors don't much touch their patients any more. My story began with terrifying chest pains. An EKG quickly ruled out a heart attack -- phew! But the EMTs urged me to go to the hospital to be checked out.

What do doctors see when they look in ears?

First, your doctor will examine the outside of your ear. Then they'll use something called an otoscope to look inside. It's a handheld tool with a light and a magnifying lens that lets your doctor see into your ear canal and get a view of your eardrum.

What do normal lymph nodes feel like?

Healthy lymph nodes are typically pea-sized. You should not normally be able to feel them. Lymph nodes that are just below the skin may be easier to feel when they become swollen as they will become larger.

What happens at a 14 year old physical?

This will include looking at the skin, listening to the heart and lungs, checking the back for any curvature of the spine, and looking for puberty development. A parent, caregiver, or chaperone should be present during this part of the exam. Siblings should stay in the waiting room to give your teen privacy.

What happens at a 15 year old physical?

The doctor will look at the skin, listen to the heart and lungs, check the back for curvature of the spine, and check for puberty development. A chaperone should be present during the exam.

What happens at a physical for a teenage girl?

The doctor or nurse will also check your teen's body.

Check your teen's blood pressure. Check your teen's vision and hearing. Check your teen's body parts (called a physical exam) Decide if your teen needs any lab tests, like a blood test.

When does your stomach start to get hard when you are pregnant?

With the growth of the uterus and development of the baby, the belly can start to feel firmer, even early on in pregnancy. Hardening is mostly due to excessive stretching of abdominal muscles. This generally happens around weeks 7 and 8.

Why is my belly hard at the top?

When your stomach swells and feels hard, the explanation might be as simple as overeating or drinking carbonated drinks, which is easy to remedy. Other causes may be more serious, such as an inflammatory bowel disease. Sometimes the accumulated gas from drinking a soda too quickly can result in a hard stomach.

Why is my stomach beating like a heart during pregnancy?

Pregnancy. Some women report feeling a pulse in their stomach when they're pregnant. While this might feel like your baby's heartbeat, it's actually just the pulse in your abdominal aorta. When you're pregnant, the amount of blood circulating around your body dramatically increases.

Can a male doctor give a breast exam?

Our results showed that 56.78% of patients reported that they could accept breast palpation by male doctors. About 59.66% of medical staff expressed their acceptance of the examination, but only 35.03% of students said the examination.

What age should you start checking your breasts?

If you find anything unusual, see your doctor immediately and insist on a diagnosis. In general, women should have a yearly clinical breast examination by a doctor beginning at age 20 and start having annual mammograms beginning at age 45.

Why do I need to examine my underarms when I perform my breast exam?

Be sure to check your underarm and collarbone areas as well as the entire breast. Familiarity is key here. Breasts will normally have some lumps — they're made up of fatty tissues, milk ducts, and blood vessels. When done monthly, you'll be able to check for new lumps or unusual tissues.