Head and neck

• Abnormal increase in head size in young child: May indicate HYDROCEPHALUS
• Inconsistently large head size in adolescent or adult: May indicate ACROMEGALY
• Megaly” means enlargement
• • If patient has acromegaly, the patient’s pituitary gland secretes excessive growth hormone after the epiphyseal plates have closed
  • Acromegaly is characterized by enlargement of the hands, head, jaw, and nose
  • People with this condition is at risk to have hypertension and diabetes
• Hirsutism

  Abnormal or excessive hair growth that can be observed in female patients
• Hirsutism


  Indicates Addison's Disease (problem with adrenal gland which don't produce enough cortisol and aldosterone)
• Moon face


  Edematous (very round and very puffy) face
• Moon face 2


  Indicates Cushing Syndrome (increased secretion of cortisol)
• Exophthalmos


  Symptom of Grave's Disease and can also be seen with patients who have Thyroid problems
• Thyroid gland - Controls your metabolism and helps regulate calcium

  • is the largest endocrine organ and it produces your thyroid hormones which are your
  • Thyroxine (T4) and your Thyroironine (T3) Your T4 and T3 are largely involved in the body’s metabolism as well as cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and neuromuscular factory
  • The thyroid also produces calcitonin which lowers calcium and phosphate level
• Lymph nodes

  • Filter lymph (clear substance composed mostly of excess tissue or fluid). Filtering removes bacteria and tumor cells from the lymph. In addition, the lymph nodes produce lymphocytes and antibodies as a defense against invasion by foregn substances
  • The size and shape of lymph nodes may vary but most are less than 1 cm long and are buried deep in the connective tissue
  • They usually appear in clusters and vary in size from 2-100 individual nodes
• Occipital nodes

  • Lightly palpate at the back of the head at the base of the skull
  • You should not palpate any inflammation or pain
• Post - auricular nodes

  • Lightly palpate behind the ears
• Pre - auricular nodes

  • Lightly palpate in front of the ears
• Tonsillar nodes

  • Lightly palpate at the angle of the jaw
• Submandibular nodes

  • Lightly palpate under the mandible
• Submental nodes

  • Lightly palpate under the tip of the chin
• Superficial cervical nodes

  • Lightly palpate the upper portion of the sternocleidomastoid muscle
• Posterior cervical nodes

  • Lightly palpate in the posterior triangle behind the sternocleidomastoid muscle
• Deep cervical nodes

  • Palpate the sternocleidomastoid muscle
• Supraclavicular nodes

  • Lightly palpate above the clavicle
• Infraclavicular nodes

  • Lightly palpate below the clavicle