Percussing the chest refers to tapping on a person’s chest so that you can hear what is going on in the chest under the skin and skeleton bones. Besides percussion, there are other methods that a doctor may do with this. This includes inspection, palpation, and auscultation. The doctor will usually do this during a physical exam.
He will usually take your shirt off and use his middle finger to tap your back and chest. Sometimes, he might use two fingers to do the percussion. He is listening for resonance which is normal sound in the human chest after thumping on it. If something strange is heard, then the patient will be further tested by using his stethoscope and possibly give the patient some medication.
Resonance.-rationale: resonance is a normal finding on percussion of healthy lung tissue. hyperresonance may occur on percussion of hyperinflated lungs such as in a client with emphysema. when percussing over the abdomen, the nurse may assess tympany, such as with a gastric air bubble or intestinal air. dullness occurs over the liver, a full bladder, and a pregnant uterus.client needs category: physiological integrityclient needs subcategory: basic care and comfortcognitive level: comprehensionreference: weber, j., and kelley, j. health assessment in nursing, 3rd ed. philadelphia: lippincott williams & wilkins, 2007, p. 313.
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