9. The skull and face

The head is an area where problems can occur that fall into the province of various medical specialists. Some types of abnormality will be immediately visible (e.g. facial palsy or torticollis) and therefore easy to examine using inspection and palpation. Abnormalities of e.g. the skull bones and sensory functions (such as sight, smell, hearing and balance) will often not be so visible, in which case diagnostic tests may be required. Start your examination by assessing the position of the head relative to the trunk. This is followed by inspection, which requires a good light source. When palpating, pay particular attention to left-right differences and whether the abnormality is of the soft tissues or bones. Imaging may be required in the case of skull abnormalities. Examinations such as sinus auscultation and percussion are no longer standard practice.