According to the purpose and regions of palpation, the doctor can ask the patient to sit or supinate and relax. The doctor can then touch, seek, and press the location of interest on the patient’s body. Touching refers to feeling a part of the body with the fingers or palms to detect the temperature and degree of moisture or dryness. Seeking refers to palpating the patient’s body with more strength than that used in touching and is mainly used in palpating the chest, abdomen, and some special points. Pressing means pushing firmly and steadily against a part of the body, such as an enlarged area or the chest and abdomen, to detect tenderness in the deeper area. Clinically, these methods are applied together.
