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Flashcards in Back pain Deck (11)
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1
Q

What are the red flags for malignancy in back pain?

A
Weight loss
Night pain 
Thoracic pain 
Night sweats 
Hx of cancer
2
Q

What are the red flags for cauda equina syndrome?

A

Weakness
Numbness
Saddle anaesthesia
Bowel or bladder involvement

3
Q

What other systems can cause back pain?

A

Urinary - pyelonephritis
Vascular - AAA
Gastro - peptic ulcer

4
Q

Which condition gives an abnormal Schober’s test?

A

Ankylosing spondylitis - reduced lumbar flexion

5
Q

What are the non-invasive treatments for low back pain and sciatica?

A

Education about red flags
Return to normal activities and avoid bed rest
Avoid precipitants
Physiotherapy

6
Q

What is sciatica?

A

Irritation of the sciatic nerve

7
Q

What can cause sciatica?

A

Disc herniation - under 50

Spinal stenosis - over 60

8
Q

What symptoms and signs are present in sciatica?

A

Pain shooting down legs
Positive straight leg raise
Neurological signs in specific nerve root distribution

9
Q

What can be used in the treatment of resistant lower back pain?

A

TENS - transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

Works via gate theory

10
Q

What are the steps in looking at a cervical spine image?

A

Adequacy/alignment
Bones
Cartilage
Dense soft tissues

11
Q

What should be checked for alignment in a lateral cervical spine image?

A

Anterior aspect of vertebral body - anterior longitudinal ligament
Posterior longitudinal ligament
Spino laminar line
Spinous process line