Final answer:
Under normal circumstances, palpation of the Posterior Thorax should show no change in tenderness and sensation. Referred pain from diaphragm irritation to the shoulder or neck is due to shared nerve pathways, and puncture wounds or increased airway resistance can impede lung function and change normal sensation.
Step-by-step explanation:
When palpating for tenderness and sensation in the Posterior Thorax, under normal circumstances, you would expect to find 3) No change in tenderness and sensation. Any variation from this, such as increased or decreased tenderness and sensation, may indicate underlying pathology. For instance, irritation to the diaphragm can lead to referred pain in the shoulder or neck because of the shared nerve pathways that run between the diaphragm and those areas. The diaphragm is innervated by the phrenic nerve, which originates near the neck, causing pain to be felt in areas other than the direct site of irritation.
The presence of abnormal findings such as cavities or opacities in the thorax on a chest radiograph, as well as symptoms such as hypoxemia and crepitation (crackling sounds heard through a stethoscope), are indicative of conditions like pneumonia, which involves inflammation and filling of the lungs with mucus. Both the clinical presentation and the radiologic evidence contribute to a thorough examination and diagnosis.
If the thoracic cavity is punctured, this can potentially introduce air into the space around the lungs, leading to a collapsed lung, or pneumothorax, which severely impairs the ability to inhale. Increased airway resistance complicates this further by affecting intrapleural pressure during inhalation, making it more difficult for the lungs to expand.