In medicine

Medicine

Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....

, inspection (Latin word "Inspectio" or the act of beholding) is the thorough and unhurried visualization of the client. This requires the use of the naked eye.

During inspection, the examiner observes:

External signs:

• Body features and symmetry appearance
• Nutritional state or weight
• Skin color
• Frequency and volume of breaths during respiration
• Movement of the abdomen
  Abdomen
  In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
  
   and each side of the chest
  Chest
  The chest is a part of the anatomy of humans and various other animals. It is sometimes referred to as the thorax or the bosom.-Chest anatomy - Humans and other hominids:...
  
   during respiration
• Hair distribution
• divercation of recti muscle
• umbilicus (site-shape-color-infiltration)
• Gait
  Gait
  Gait is the pattern of movement of the limbs of animals, including humans, during locomotion over a solid substrate. Most animals use a variety of gaits, selecting gait based on speed, terrain, the need to maneuver, and energetic efficiency...
  
   and manner of speaking

Gross Deviation:

• Abnormal contour
• Scar
  Scar
  Scars are areas of fibrous tissue that replace normal skin after injury. A scar results from the biological process of wound repair in the skin and other tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a natural part of the healing process. With the exception of very minor lesions, every wound results in...
  
  s and striae
• Visible masses
• Discoloration
• Swelling
• Tremor
  Tremor
  A tremor is an involuntary, somewhat rhythmic, muscle contraction and relaxation involving to-and-fro movements of one or more body parts. It is the most common of all involuntary movements and can affect the hands, arms, eyes, face, head, vocal folds, trunk, and legs. Most tremors occur in the...
  
  

In medical practice, inspection is however not limited to visual information alone. Inspection also involves:

• Listening to any sounds emanating from the client
• Odor
  Odor
  An odor or odour is caused by one or more volatilized chemical compounds, generally at a very low concentration, that humans or other animals perceive by the sense of olfaction. Odors are also commonly called scents, which can refer to both pleasant and unpleasant odors...
  
  s that may be present

See also

• Physical examination
  Physical examination
  Physical examination or clinical examination is the process by which a doctor investigates the body of a patient for signs of disease. It generally follows the taking of the medical history — an account of the symptoms as experienced by the patient...
  
  
• Auscultation
  Auscultation
  Auscultation is the term for listening to the internal sounds of the body, usually using a stethoscope...
  
  
• Percussion (medicine)
  Percussion (medicine)
  Percussion is a method of tapping on a surface to determine the underlying structure, and is used in clinical examinations to assess the condition of the thorax or abdomen. It is one of the four methods of clinical examination, together with inspection, palpation and auscultation...
  
  
• Palpation
  Palpation
  Palpation is used as part of a physical examination in which an object is felt to determine its size, shape, firmness, or location...