Depending on age, health status, and risk factors, various screenings are recommended. These can include mammograms for breast cancer, bone density tests for osteoporosis, blood tests for cholesterol and diabetes, and specific tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
With the patient’s chin slightly lowered to relax the sternocleidomastoid, the provider stands behind or beside the patient. Using the pads of the second and third fingers, the clinician palpates the thyroid isthmus and lobes, asking the patient to swallow a sip of water to feel the gland rise. Lymph node chains (cervical, submandibular, supraclavicular) are systematically palpated from superior to inferior. The patient is warned before touching the front of the neck: “I am going to place my fingers on either side of your Adam’s apple.”