Respiratory Examination

Moderate, acute severe, life threatening and near fatal

A memory aid for grading the severity of an acute asthma attack.

Timing and character of the added sound localise the pathology

A memory aid for interpreting crackles, wheeze and rubs.

Anterior chest is mostly upper lobe; posterior chest is mostly lower lobe

A memory aid for which lobes are examined from the front and from the back.

Percussion note, breath sounds and vocal resonance identify the pathology

A memory aid for the combination of chest signs in each condition.

Pushed away by extra volume, pulled towards by lost volume

A mnemonic for which way the mediastinum moves in thoracic disease.

Resonant, dull, stony dull and hyperresonant

A memory aid for what each chest percussion note means.

Hands, face, neck, then chest front and back with the same four steps

A memory aid for the order of a respiratory examination.

Rate, accessory muscles, recession, position and the ability to speak

A memory aid for recognising increased work of breathing.

Pushed away by pneumothorax and effusion; pulled towards by collapse and fibrosis

A memory aid for the causes of tracheal deviation and their direction.