Which examination method relies heavily on auditory cues?

The examination method that relies heavily on auditory cues is auscultation. This technique involves listening to internal sounds within the body, typically using a stethoscope, to assess various bodily functions. For instance, healthcare providers use auscultation to detect heartbeats, breath sounds, and bowel sounds. The clarity and quality of these sounds can indicate normal physiological activity or signal underlying health issues, such as murmurs or respiratory abnormalities.

In contrast, palpation involves feeling the body with hands to examine structure and consistency, and inspection is the visual assessment of the body or specific body parts. Percussion involves tapping on the body to elicit sounds or feelings that provide insight into the underlying structures. Thus, while all the methods are valuable in a clinical examination, auscultation distinctly emphasizes auditory information for diagnosis and assessment.