A Signs

Signs starts with A #

1. Aaron’s Sign #

A sensation of pain and/or distress in the epigastric or precordial region on pressure over McBurney’s point in appendicitis.

1. Aaron’s Sign #

A sensation of pain and/or distress in the epigastric or precordial region on pressure over McBurney’s point in appendicitis.

2. Abadie’s Sign #

  • Charles Abadie: Spasm of levator palpebrae superioris muscle—a sign of Graves’ disease.
  • Jean Abadie: Insensibility of Achilles tendon to pressure, seen in tabes dorsalis.

3. Air Cushion Sign (Klemm’s Sign) #

In the radiograph of chronic appendicitis, there is often an indication of tympanitis in the right lower quadrant.

4. Alder’s Sign of Shifting Tenderness #

This sign is useful to diagnose acute appendicitis in pregnancy. Locate the most tender spot and mark it on the skin. Request the patient to turn on the left side and wait for a full minute. If the tenderness is of uterine origin, it will shift with the uterus, while the position remains constant in case of appendicular origin.

5. Angell’s Sign #

Helpful in diagnosing “Torsion testis” due to a developmental anomaly. The presence of mesentery between the testis and the epididymis is invariably bilateral. The sign is usually obscured on the affected side and can be made out by examining the patient in the standing position, wherein the opposite testis will be found to lie horizontally instead of in the normal vertical position.

6. Anghelescus’ Sign #

Seen in Pott’s disease of the spine (TB spine) wherein the victim is unable to bend the spine while lying on the back so as to rest on the head and heel alone.

7. Argyll Robertson Pupil Sign #

Typically described for neurosyphilis, wherein the light reflex is lost while the accommodation reflex is retained. Such an eye responds poorly to mydriatics. This is due to the destruction of fibers between the pretectal nucleus and Edinger-Westphal nucleus. Other conditions where this sign may be seen include encephalitis, vascular and traumatic lesions, cerebral tumors, diabetes mellitus, and chronic alcoholism.

8. Auenbrugger’s Sign #

Bulging of the epigastrium due to massive pericardial effusion. This sign highlights the importance of examining the thorax in patients with abdominal symptoms.