Head, Neck, Nose, and Oral Cavity Physical Examination & Pathologies

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing clinical examination features, pathology, cranial nerve assessments, and physical exam findings for head, neck, nose, and oral cavity based on lecture notes.

Hyperthyroidism

A clinical syndrome characterized by nervousness, weight loss despite increased appetite, excessive sweating, heat intolerance, palpitations, frequent bowel movements, tremor, warm smooth moist skin, lid lag, exophthalmos, and tachycardia.

Hypothyroidism

A condition characterized by fatigue, lethargy, modest weight gain with anorexia, dry coarse cool skin, cold intolerance, swelling of face/hands/legs, constipation, muscle cramps, periorbital myxedema, bradycardia, and low-pitched speech.

Goiter

An enlargement of the thyroid gland to twice its normal size.

Retrosternal Goiter

A thyroid enlargement extending behind the sternum that can cause hoarseness, shortness of breath, stridor, or dysphagia due to tracheal compression.

Stridor

An ominous, high-pitched musical sound resulting from narrowing of the airway at the supraglottic level, vocal cords, or trachea; signals a respiratory emergency.

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, which is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States.

Nasal Turbinates

Bony structures covered by mucous membranes with grooves (meatuses) that aid in cleaning, humidifying, and controlling the temperature of inspired air.

Nasal Polyps

Saclike growths of inflamed mucosa associated with allergic rhinitis, aspirin sensitivity, asthma, chronic sinus infections, and cystic fibrosis.

Epistaxis

Nosebleed; common causes include trauma, dry air, nose picking, infections, high blood pressure, and blood-thinning medication.

Nasal Septum Perforation

A hole through the nasal septum, most commonly caused by intranasal drug use.

Cranial Nerve XII (Hypoglossal Nerve)

Controls the motor function of the tongue (sticking out the tongue, moving side to side); nerve damage causes tongue deviation toward the affected side.

Glossitis

Inflammation of the tongue characterized by a sore, smooth tongue.

Virchow's Node

An enlarged supraclavicular lymph node, especially on the left side, suggesting possible metastasis from a thoracic or abdominal malignancy.

Eagle's Syndrome

An elongated temporal styloid process or calcification of the stylohyoid ligament, which can be felt on exam as a small, hard, tender superior jugular node.

Shotty Lymph Nodes

Small, mobile, discrete, and nontender lymph nodes that are commonly present in healthy individuals.

Angular Cheilitis

Softening, fissuring, and cracking of the skin at the angles of the mouth.

Actinic Cheilitis

A precancerous condition of the lower lip resulting from excessive exposure to sunlight, presenting as dry, scaly, and thickened lip skin.

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia

An autosomal dominant condition producing multiple small red macules or telangiectasias on the lips and oral mucosa.

Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome

A genetic condition marked by prominent pigmented spots on the lips, buccal mucosa, and face, associated with intestinal polyps and gastrointestinal cancer.

Chancre

A primary lesion of syphilis that presents as a firm, painless ulcer on the lip or oral mucosa.

Diphtheria

An acute infection producing a dull red throat with a thick gray pseudomembrane on the tonsils and pharynx.

Kaposi Sarcoma

A vascular tumor commonly seen in HIV/AIDS, appearing as deep purple lesions on the palate or oral mucosa.

Torus Palatinus

A harmless, benign, bony midline growth located on the hard palate.

Fordyce Spots

Normal ectopic sebaceous glands appearing as small yellowish spots on the buccal mucosa or lips.

Leukoplakia

A thickened white patch on the oral mucosa that cannot be scraped away, requiring biopsy to check for dysplasia or carcinoma.

Gingival Hyperplasia

Enlarged, swollen gums that may cover the teeth, which can be caused by medications, puberty, or leukemia.

Pregnancy Tumor

A localized, soft, red gingival enlargement (pyogenic granuloma) that bleeds easily, occurring in the interdental papillae during pregnancy.

Hutchinson Teeth

Smaller, widely spaced teeth with notched incisal edges, characteristic of congenital syphilis.

Geographic Tongue

A benign condition characterized by smooth red areas denuded of papillae bordered by raised yellowish margins, producing a map-like appearance.

Black Hairy Tongue

A benign condition featuring elongation and dark discoloration of filiform papillae on the dorsum of the tongue.

Fissured Tongue

A condition in which deep grooves appear along the dorsal surface of the tongue, often increasing with age.

Oral Candidiasis

A fungal infection presenting as white, creamy exudate on the tongue or oral mucosa that can be scraped off to reveal an underlying reddened surface.

Oral Hairy Leukoplakia

Whitish, feathery or corrugated raised lesions on the sides of the tongue seen in HIV/AIDS, caused by the Epstein-Barr virus.

Aphthous Ulcer

A painful, round or oval ulcer with a yellowish-gray center surrounded by a halo of red mucosa on non-keratinized oral tissue, commonly called a canker sore.

Tori Mandibularis

Harmless, rounded bony growths on the inner (lingual) surface of the mandible, usually near the premolar teeth.

Anterior Triangle of the Neck

A anatomical region of the neck bounded superiorly by the mandible, medially by the midline of the neck, and laterally by the sternocleidomastoid muscle.