Fremitus
Fremitus
Fremitus (/frɛˈmaɪtəs/; from the Latin fremitus, meaning "a rumbling") is a palpable vibration on the human body. In a medical context, it is often used to refer to the perceptible vibrations produced by the human voice, which can be felt through the chest wall during speech or breathing.
Types of Fremitus
There are several types of fremitus, including:
- Tactile Fremitus: This is the vibration felt on the chest wall when a patient speaks. It can be used to assess the density of lung tissue and the patency of the airways.
- Vocal Fremitus: This is similar to tactile fremitus but specifically refers to the vibrations produced by the voice.
- Bronchial Fremitus: This is a type of tactile fremitus that is felt over the bronchial tubes.
- Pleural Fremitus: This is a type of tactile fremitus that is felt over the pleura, the membrane that surrounds the lungs.
Clinical Significance
Changes in fremitus can be indicative of various medical conditions. For example, increased fremitus may suggest consolidation of lung tissue, as in pneumonia, while decreased fremitus may suggest air or fluid in the pleural space, as in pneumothorax or pleural effusion.
Etymology
The term "fremitus" comes from the Latin fremitus, meaning "a rumbling". It was first used in this context in the early 19th century.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Fremitus
- Wikipedia's article - Fremitus
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski