Symptom Finder - Cough
Cough
When confronted with a patient complaining of cough, it is important to start with vital signs and percussion and auscultation of the chest and
heart. If these examination techniques are normal, what else can one do? First of all, do a thorough ENT examination to look for rhinitis, sinusitis, and a postnasal drip. Use transillumination of the sinuses and indirect laryngoscopy to aid in this examination. Check the neck for jugular vein distention, a mass, and tracheal deviation. Check the abdomen for hepatomegaly (suggesting congestive heart failure) and the extremities for pedal edema. This is not a lot, but occasionally these examinations are rewarding.
When confronted with a patient complaining of cough, it is important to start with vital signs and percussion and auscultation of the chest and
heart. If these examination techniques are normal, what else can one do? First of all, do a thorough ENT examination to look for rhinitis, sinusitis, and a postnasal drip. Use transillumination of the sinuses and indirect laryngoscopy to aid in this examination. Check the neck for jugular vein distention, a mass, and tracheal deviation. Check the abdomen for hepatomegaly (suggesting congestive heart failure) and the extremities for pedal edema. This is not a lot, but occasionally these examinations are rewarding.