A well-conducted abdominal examination can reveal a great deal of information but, if it is poorly performed, it can reveal nothing and lose the patient's confidence if it causes pain. Everyone develops a personal technique with time and adjusts it according to circumstances. Emphasis will be different if the problem is an acute abdomen or an abdominal mass. Not all of what is described below needs to be performed in full every time but knowledge of the full routine is important so that all parts may be brought in as required.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/doctor/history-examination/abdominal-examination