How to check for costovertebral angle tenderness?
How to Check for Costovertebral Angle Tenderness. Position yourself to the patient’s back (posterior). Find the CVA by assessing for the 12 th rib and the spine….just below the 12 th rib in between the spine is the angle. Lay your non-dominate hand flat over the angle. Make a fist with your dominate hand and firmly thump the fist onto…
How do you find the costovertebral angle?
The angle that forms below the 12th rib and spine is the costovertebral angle. After finding the CVA, you will then place your non-dominate hand flat the angle (there are two angles you will perform percussion on, which are located over each kidney…right and left).
What happens when you tap the costovertebral angle?
As tapping on the surface of Costovertebral angle causes the inflamed tissues of kidney to hit and pain is generated responding to it showing tenderness. The inflammation can also be checked by sliding hand over the Costovertebral angle and pressing upward into the Costovertebral angle area.
Why is it important to perform percussion over the costovertebral angle?
During a head-to-toe nursing assessment in a patient who is suspected to have a kidney infection (pyelonephritis), it is important to perform percussion over the costovertebral angle for tenderness. How do you perform the costovertebral angle tenderness exam?
What causes costovertebral angle to be tender on percussion?
Along with fever, chills, patient has the costovertebral angle is tender on percussion. Some other causes of CVA tenderness are fracture of 12th rib, herpes zoster infection in this area, traumatic muscular injury of the back.
What is a costovertebral angle?
The term ‘costovertebral angle’ refers to the acute angle that is formed by the vertebral column and the twelfth rib on either side of the back. Murphy’s kidney punch, which is also referred to as Murphy’s punch sign, is a test involving percussion of the twelfth rib.
What is the treatment for costovertebral tenderness?
Costovertebral tenderness is a sign of an underlying disease, mostly involving kidney. Treating the underlying cause will alleviate CVA tenderness. For example if tenderness is a sign of kidney stone, patient will need treatment for stone removal. If the stone is small, increase of water intake will help the stone to come out from kidney.