What is the significance of rebound pain, and should it be elicited?
- If one palpates deeply with the fingers and suddenly releases the manual pressure, often this may elicit severe pain on the rebound in patients with peritoneal irritation.
- Many surgeons believe that this sign does not convey any more information than can be obtained with gentle, deep palpation, and it often causes unexpected and unnecessary pain, in addition to voluntary guarding that will make further examinations less reliable.
