Medical-surgical signs are a nightmare for every medical student. There are too many to remember, and they all look the same. But what if you could remember the most important ones in just 5 minutes?
Whether you're preparing for NEET PG, your final-year MBBS practicals, or B.Sc. Nursing, this guide is your savior. We've compiled an ultimate cheat sheet of 100 signs and included 7 special visual mnemonics that will stick in your mind forever.
The 7 Visual Mnemonics You Must Know
Don't just read—imagine, too. Here are the most profitable signals explained with pictures.
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Top 20 High-Yield Signs (Quick Table)
Save this table for your last-minute revision.
Sign | Disease / Condition | Key Finding |
Murphy’s Sign | Cholecystitis | Inspiratory arrest |
McBurney’s Point | Appendicitis | Tenderness in RLQ |
Rovsing’s Sign | Appendicitis | Pain in RLQ on pressing LLQ |
Kehr’s Sign | Splenic Rupture | Left shoulder pain |
Battle’s Sign | Skull Fracture | Bruising behind ear |
Raccoon Eyes | Skull Fracture | Bruising around eyes |
Homan’s Sign | DVT | Calf pain on dorsiflexion |
Psoas Sign | Appendicitis | Pain on thigh extension |
Obturator Sign | Appendicitis | Pain on thigh rotation |
Cullen’s Sign | Pancreatitis | Umbilical bruising |
Grey Turner’s | Pancreatitis | Flank bruising |
Chvostek’s Sign | Hypocalcemia | Facial twitch on tapping |
Trousseau’s Sign | Hypocalcemia | Carpopedal spasm |
Virchow’s Node | Gastric Cancer | Left supraclavicular node |
Courvoisier’s Law | Pancreatic Ca | Palpable painless gallbladder |
Blumberg’s Sign | Peritonitis | Rebound tenderness |
Fox’s Sign | Pancreatitis | Inguinal bruising |
Dance’s Sign | Intussusception | Empty RLQ |
Ballance’s Sign | Splenic Rupture | Dullness in left flank |
Sister Mary Joseph | GI Metastasis | Umbilical nodule |
The Complete List (A-Z Revision)
Take a look at these so you don't miss any hidden questions on your exams.
Abdominal symptoms:
• Aaron's sign: Epigastric pain on McBurney's pressure alone.
• Basler's sign: Acute pain from chronic appendicitis.
• Carnett's sign: Abdominal wall pain test.
• Charcot's triad: Fever, jaundice, pain (cholangitis).
• Reynolds' Pentad: Charcot's triad + shock + confusion.
• Ten Horn's sign: Pain on stretching the spermatic cord.
• Valentino's sign: A perforated ulcer that mimics an appendicitis.
Vascular & Neuro Signs:
• Adson’s Test: Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
• Allen’s Test: Hand collateral circulation.
• Babinski Sign: UMN Lesion.
• Beck’s Triad: Cardiac Tamponade.
• Branham’s Sign: AV Fistula bradycardia.
• Homans’ Sign: DVT indication.
• Kernig’s Sign: Meningitis stiffness.
• Brudzinski’s Sign: Meningitis neck flexion.
