---
title: "History and Clinical Examination"
description: "Notes on ENT history taking and clinical examination techniques."
source: "The ENT Resident"
author: "Dr. Mausumi Das"
canonical_url: "https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/category/history-and-clinical-examination"
---

# History and Clinical Examination

Notes on ENT history taking and clinical examination techniques.

## Welcome to the History and Clinical Examination section of ENT!

This section offers **structured, practical notes** on how to take a thorough ENT history and perform relevant **clinical examinations**, curated for **MBBS and ENT students**.

### Why is Clinical Examination Important in ENT?

A good **history and examination** form the foundation of accurate diagnosis in ENT. From evaluating **hearing loss**, **nasal obstruction**, or **throat pain**, to detecting masses in the **neck** or **oral cavity**, mastering these skills is essential in both **OPD settings** and **viva exams**.

ENT examination includes focused inspection, palpation, and instrument-based assessments of the **ear**, **nose**, **throat**, **head and neck**, often with the help of tools like the **head mirror**, **tuning forks**, **nasal speculum**, and **laryngeal mirrors**.

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Here you’ll find high-yield notes on:

- General approach to ENT history taking  
- System-wise history (ear, nose, throat, neck)  
- Common presenting complaints and how to explore them  
- Examination of the external and internal ear  
- Nasal examination techniques and nasal endoscopy  
- Oral cavity and oropharyngeal examination  
- Examination of the larynx and hypopharynx  
- Neck mass evaluation  
- Use of tuning forks, headlight, and examination instruments  
- Clinical cases and viva questions  

All notes are designed for **bedside utility**, **exam readiness**, and **conceptual understanding**.

Whether you're preparing for a clinical posting, long case, or practical viva, this section will give you the clarity and confidence you need.

## Notes in this Category

- [Cottle’s Test](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/cottle-test.md): Learn how to perform and interpret Cottle’s Test.
- [ENT History Taking: Approach to a Nose Case](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/history-taking-nose.md): A guide on taking a detailed history for nose related complaints, covering chief complaints, history of present illness, and relevant past/personal history.
- [ENT History Taking: Approach to a Throat Case](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/history-taking-throat.md): A guide on taking history for throat related complaints - chief complaints, history of present illness, past/personal history - for MBBS and ENT students.
- [ENT History Taking: Approach to an Ear Case](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/history-taking-ear.md): A guide on taking a detailed History for Ear related complaints, covering chief complaints, history of present illness, and relevant past/personal history.
- [Posterior Rhinoscopy](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/posterior-rhinoscopy.md): Learn how to perform Posterior Rhinoscopy, identify normal anatomical landmarks, recognize common abnormalities, and understand the practical difficulties faced during this ENT clinical examination.

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## About This Category

History and Clinical Examination is one of the free ENT note categories published by The ENT Resident. Every note listed above is free to read on the website.

Canonical page of this category: https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/category/history-and-clinical-examination

When citing or referencing this content, please credit The ENT Resident and link to the canonical page above.

Browse all ENT categories: https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures.md

## About The ENT Resident

The ENT Resident is an educational website and resource library created by Dr. Mausumi Das (MS ENT) for ENT residents, ENT postgraduates preparing for exams, and MBBS students.

Dr. Mausumi Das writes the notes, draws the diagrams, and records the lectures herself.

## Medical-use Boundary

The ENT Resident provides educational material for medical learning and revision. It does not provide patient-specific medical advice, diagnosis, or emergency care, and it is not a substitute for evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional.

## More Resources

- Learn about the Premium ENT Notes, preview a complete sample, and find purchase options: https://www.theentresident.com/premium.md
- Read student testimonials: https://www.theentresident.com/testimonials.md
- Contact The ENT Resident: https://www.theentresident.com/contact.md

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A complete index of all pages on this site, with descriptions and markdown links can be found here: https://www.theentresident.com/llms.txt