HEENT examination

A HEENT examination is a portion of a physical examination that principally concerns the head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat.

Steps

• IPPA
• Inspection of scars or skin changes
• Palpation of temporomandibular joint, thyroid, and lymph nodes
• Percussion may involve the skin above the frontal sinuses and paranasal sinuses to detect any signs of pain
• Auscultation for carotid bruits
• Tests specific to HEENT examination
• Eyes: eye examination and acuity (including ophthalmoscope)
• Ears: hearing examination and evaluation of tympanic membrane (TM) (otoscope used in evaluation of ears, nose, and mouth)

A neurological examination is usually considered separate from the HEENT evaluation, although there can be some overlap in some cases.

Sample write-up

References