Which of the following is true of bowel sounds?

A. Even distribution of hair: Hair that is evenly distributed across the scalp is considered a normal finding. It does not suggest any underlying pathology and therefore is not a cause for concern during head assessment.

B. Bruits in the temporal arteries: The presence of bruits indicates turbulent blood flow, which may be associated with vascular narrowing or inflammation such as temporal arteritis. This finding requires further evaluation as it may signal a serious vascular condition.

C. Symmetrical features at rest: Symmetry of facial features while the patient is at rest is a normal and expected finding. It demonstrates intact cranial nerve function and normal muscle tone.

D. Symmetrical features with movement: Symmetry during facial movements, such as smiling or raising eyebrows, is also considered normal. This finding suggests intact cranial nerve VII function.

A. Asymmetrical joint involvement: Osteoarthritis commonly affects weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips in an asymmetrical pattern. This is a key feature that helps distinguish it from rheumatoid arthritis, which usually presents with symmetrical involvement.

B. Affected joints may have heat, redness, and swelling: Heat and redness are more typical of inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or gout. In osteoarthritis, swelling may occur but is usually due to bony changes rather than acute inflammation.

C. Pain with motion of affected joints: Joint pain that worsens with activity and improves with rest is a hallmark of osteoarthritis. The pain arises from cartilage degeneration, which causes friction and stress on the affected joint.

D. Affected joints are swollen with hard, bony protuberances: Bony enlargements such as Heberden’s nodes or Bouchard’s nodes develop in osteoarthritis due to cartilage loss and bone remodeling. These hard protuberances are a classic finding in this condition.

E. Symmetrical joint movement: Symmetrical involvement is more consistent with rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis does not typically affect joints in a symmetrical distribution, making this feature less characteristic of the disease.