What is Murphy's sign, and what does it indicate?

Murphy's sign is a clinical maneuver used during a physical examination, primarily to assess for gallbladder inflammation or cholecystitis. When a healthcare provider performs this test, they ask the patient to take a deep breath while palpating the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. A positive Murphy's sign occurs when the patient experiences pain and stops inhaling due to discomfort upon palpation of the gallbladder. This indicates that there may be inflammation or irritation in the gallbladder, often associated with conditions like acute cholecystitis.

The other options do not accurately reflect the purpose of Murphy's sign. For instance, while a sign of appendicitis might involve different tests such as rebound tenderness or the psoas sign, it is not specifically identified by Murphy's sign. Similarly, symptoms of a hernia would not typically include this particular test, nor does it pertain to indicators for kidney stones, which could be evaluated through other means such as imaging studies or checking for costovertebral angle tenderness. Thus, the indication of gallbladder inflammation aligns perfectly with the definition and clinical application of Murphy's sign.