Red flags

Question 1

Challenges of general diagnosis

Answer 1

• Council patients with self limiting conditions and identify of serious

Question 2

Red flag

Answer 2

• Warning symptom, sign or test result that suggests a potentially serious underlying pathology
• Threshold for further tests or referral

Question 3

General red flags

Answer 3

• ## Recognise a serious illness even though the exact disease is not known like weight loss

Question 4

Specific red flag

Answer 4

• Specific illness present in specific bodily region

Question 5

Questions to ask to identify red flags

Answer 5

• What can I do for you?
• Can you tell me a bit more about your symptoms and how they all started?
• Is there anything else that you think may be important?
• And what happened then?

Question 6

Low back pain

Answer 6

• 1-4% chance of having a fracture
• 1% of having a cancer

Question 7

Signs of having a fracture with lower back pain

Answer 7

• Prolonged use of corticosteroids
• Older age (>70 yrs)
• Hx of osteoporosis
• Mild trauma > 50yrs with osteoporosis
• Significant trauma at any age

Question 8

Signs of having a cancer with back pain

Answer 8

• Age <20yrs or >50yrs
• Previous history of cancer
• Unexplained weight loss
• Night pain not relieved by rest
• Failure to improve with treatment
• Lasts >4-6 weeks

Question 9

Signs of Cauda equina as a result of back pain

Answer 9

• Saddle anaesthesia
• Bladder/bowel dysfunction
• Motor weakness/sensory deficit

Question 10

Infections signs of lower back pain

Answer 10

• Systemically unwell: fever, chills
• Recent bacterial infection
• Recent surgery
• Immunocompromised

Question 11

Yellow flag symptoms

Answer 11

• Belief that pain itself is harmful
• Sickness behaviours after extended rest
• Social withdrawal/lack of support
• Low mood/depression/anxiety
• Problems/dissatisfaction at work
• Compensation or benefit claims
• Overprotective family
• No active participation in treatment