Dictionary

Named signs

Signs and patterns named after the people who described them: Kussmaul, Homans, Chvostek and more.

Levine signA clenched fist held against the chest by a person describing chest pain.

Lhermitte signAn electric-shock feeling that runs down the back, and sometimes into the arms or legs, when the neck is bent forward.

Mallory-Weiss tearA tear in the lining where the esophagus meets the stomach.

Maslow hierarchy of needsA theory that ranks human needs in five levels, from basic body needs at the bottom to self-fulfillment at the top.

McBurney pointA spot on the lower right abdomen about one-third of the way from the front of the hip bone to the navel.

McRoberts maneuverPulling a laboring client's legs back sharply so the thighs press against the abdomen, to widen the pelvis during birth.

Montgomery tuberclesSmall raised bumps on the areola, the darker skin around the nipple.

moon faceA rounded, full, puffy face with fat padding in the cheeks.

Moro reflexA newborn reflex in which a sudden noise or loss of support makes the baby fling the arms out and then bring them back in.

Murphy signA sudden catch in breathing, from pain, when the examiner presses under the right ribs while the person breathes in deeply.

Naegele ruleA way to estimate a due date: take the first day of the last normal period, count back 3 months and add 7 days.

Nikolsky signThe top layer of skin separates or slides off when nearby skin is gently rubbed or pressed.

obturator signPain in the lower abdomen when the client's bent right hip and knee are rotated inward.

olive-shaped massA small, firm, movable lump about the size and shape of an olive, felt in an infant's upper abdomen.

Ortolani maneuverA newborn hip exam in which the examiner gently spreads the bent hips apart to feel whether a dislocated hip slips back into its socket.

Osler nodesSmall, tender, red or purple raised bumps on the pads of the fingers or toes.

palmar grasp reflexA newborn reflex in which the baby's fingers close tightly around an object placed in the palm.

Parkland formulaA formula for the IV fluid a burned adult needs in the first 24 hours: 4 mL × weight in kg × percent of body surface burned.

Pastia linesLines of tiny red spots in skin creases, such as the inner elbow and armpit, that do not fade when pressed.

Pemberton signRedness of the face and swelling of the neck veins that appear when a person raises both arms above the head for about a minute.

Phalen testA test in which the client holds the backs of both hands pressed together, wrists fully bent, for about 60 seconds to see whether tingling develops.

pill-rolling tremorA rhythmic tremor in which the thumb rubs back and forth against the fingers, as if rolling a small pill.

psoas signLower abdominal pain when the right thigh is stretched backward or lifted against resistance.

pulsus paradoxusA fall of more than 10 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure during breathing in.

pursed-lip breathingA breathing technique of breathing in through the nose and breathing out slowly through lips pressed together as if to whistle.

raccoon eyesBruising around both eyes, like a raccoon's mask.

Raynaud phenomenonA condition in which small arteries of the fingers and toes narrow too much in response to cold or stress.

rebound tendernessPain that is worse when a hand pressing into the abdomen is quickly let go than when it is pressed in.

Reynolds pentadFive findings together: fever, pain in the upper right abdomen, jaundice, low blood pressure and confusion.

Romberg testA balance test in which the person stands with feet together and arms at the sides, first with eyes open and then with eyes closed.

rooting reflexA newborn reflex in which the baby turns toward a touch on the cheek or the corner of the mouth and opens the mouth.

Rovsing signPain felt in the right lower abdomen when the examiner presses on the left lower abdomen.

setting-sun signEyes turned downward so that a strip of white shows above the colored part of the eye, like a sun setting below the horizon.

Snellen chartAn eye chart with rows of letters that get smaller, used to test how clearly a person sees at a distance.

Somogyi effectA high morning blood glucose that follows a low blood glucose during the night.

steeple signA tapered narrowing of the upper airway below the vocal cords that looks like a church steeple on a front-view neck x-ray.

Stevens-Johnson syndromeA rare, severe reaction, most often to a drug, in which the skin and the moist linings of the body blister and peel away.

tetralogy of FallotA congenital heart defect made up of four problems in the structure of the heart.

Tinel signTingling or pins and needles felt where a nerve goes when the skin over that nerve is tapped.

tripod positionA sitting position in which the person leans forward with the hands or elbows resting on the knees or on a table.

Trousseau signA spasm of the hand and wrist that appears when a blood pressure cuff on the upper arm is kept inflated for a few minutes.

Turner syndromeA genetic condition in females in which all or part of one X chromosome is missing.

Valsalva maneuverBreathing out forcefully against a closed airway, as when bearing down or straining.

Virchow triadThree conditions that together promote blood clots in vessels: slowed blood flow, damage to the vessel wall, and blood that clots too easily.

water-hammer pulseA strong, bounding pulse that rises very quickly and then falls away suddenly.

WernickeThe name of a German neurologist, used in Wernicke encephalopathy (from low thiamine) and Wernicke aphasia (trouble understanding language).

Whipple triadThree findings together: symptoms of low blood sugar, a low blood glucose measured at that time, and relief when the glucose is raised.

Wilms tumorA cancer of the kidney that develops in young children.