Flashcards in this deck (27)

• Low back pain is characterized by pain between the costal margin and inferior gluteal folds with or without leg pain.
  health pain back
• Low back pain is the most prevalent chronic pain syndrome, more common in women than in men.
  health statistics
• Low back pain is the leading cause of disability under 45 years.
  health disability
• Low back pain is the 2nd most frequent reason for a physician visit.
  health statistics
• Symptoms of low back pain usually improve within 8 weeks.
  health symptoms
• Acute low back pain lasts less than 6 weeks.
  health pain timeframes
• Chronic low back pain lasts more than 12 weeks.
  health pain timeframes
• Risk factors for low back pain include obesity, genetics, heavy lifting, smoking, pregnancy, and more.
  health risk_factors
• Most low back pain cases are caused by nonspecific musculoskeletal pain.
  health pain
• Red flag signs for low back pain include weight loss, fever, urinary retention and incontinence.
  health red_flags
• Prolonged steroid use and significant trauma are red flags for vertebral fractures.
  health red_flags
• Symptoms that signify cancer with low back pain include unexplained weight loss and persistent pain at night.
  health red_flags cancer
• Fever, IV drug use, and recent infection are red flags for infection.
  health red_flags infection
• Severe morning stiffness lasting longer than 30 minutes that improves with activity indicates inflammatory disease.
  health inflammation symptoms
• Abdominal pulsatile mass may indicate abdominal aorta aneurysm.
  health abdominal_conditions
• Cauda equina syndrome is a surgical emergency caused by compression of the cauda equina.
  health emergency syndrome
• Pain relieved by bending while sitting may indicate spinal stenosis.
  health spine pain
• Neural compression symptoms, infection, and malignancy are considered red flags in low back pain.
  health red_flags
• Psychosocial distress related to low back pain is known as a yellow flag.
  health psychology
• Structural scoliosis persists during forward flexion.
  health scoliosis
• Functional scoliosis due to muscle spasms disappears during flexion.
  health scoliosis
• The straight leg raise test may show radiculopathy of L5, S1, S2.
  health diagnostics
• Femoral nerve stretch tests assess sensitivity for L2 and L3 nerve radiculopathy.
  health diagnostics
• Imaging is required if red flag signs are present, there is suspicion of underlying systemic disease or symptoms persist for more than 6-8 weeks with management.
  imaging diagnosis systemic_disease
• MRI does not improve outcomes in early phases.
  mri outcomes timing
• Imaging can be used if pain persists > 6-8 weeks despite therapy and there are no symptoms of radiculopathy or spinal stenosis. Plain radiographs are the first option.
  imaging pain_management radiographs
• In suspicion of a systemic disease, in surgical candidates (progressive neurological deficits), or epidural injection candidates (radiculopathy, spinal stenosis), MRI without contrast is used.
  mri systemic_disease surgery epidural_injection