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Assessing Head and Neck
Assessing Head and Neck
Head is symmetric
round
in midline and appropriately related to body size
no lesions
abnormal findings
Normal findings
Head should be still and upright
abnormal findings
Inspect the face for symmetry, features, movement expression, and skin condition
Normal findings
Face is asymmetric with round, oval, elongated appearance
No abnormalities movement
abnormal findings
palpation
Palpate the head
Note for consistency
Normal findings
Normally hard
Smooth
Abnormal findings
Normal findings
Elastic
Not tender
Abnormal findings
Normal findings
No swelling, tenderness, or crepitation movement
Mouth opens and close fully
Lower jaw moves laterally
Abnormal findings
Limited range of motion, swelling, tenderness, or crepitation that may indicate TMJ
syndrome.
Percussion
Inspection
Inspect the Neck
Observes the clients slightly extended neck for position, symmetry, and lumps or masses
Normal findings
Abnormal findings
Swelling
Enlarged masses or nodules, it may indicate an enlarge thyroid gland
Inflammation of lymph nodes, or a tumor
Normally neck movement should be smooth and controlled with 45-degree flexion,
55-degree extension, 40-degree lateral abduction, and 70-degree rotation.
Abnormal findings
Muscle spasms, inflammation, or cervical arthritis may cause stiffness, rigidity, and
lim ited mobility of the neck,
Trachea is midline.
Abnormal findings
the affected side in cases of large atelectasis, fibrosis or pleural adhesions. The
trachea is pushed to the unaffected side in cases of a tumor, enlarged thyroid lobe,
pneumothorax, or with an aortic aneurysm.
Palpation
Palpate the Neck
Swelling,
tenderness,
hardness,
immobility,
enlargement
Auscultation
Ausculate the neck
Auscultate the thyroid only if you find an enlarged thyroid gland during inspection tion or
palpation.
Normal findings
Percussion