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Is the pain of acute onset or gradual onset? If it is acute onset, one must consider the possibility of epidural abscess, pyelonephritis, or other abdominal conditions as the cause of the back pain. If it is ... DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP
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Low back pain is the second most common cause of doctor visits in the U.S. and is the most common cause of disability. Up to 90% of the population will experience back pain during their lives. Studies show that, at any given time, up to 20% of the population is experiencing low back pain.... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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Back pain is an uncommon complaint in children, but relatively more common in adolescents. Although relatively benign causes (such as muscular strain in adolescents) account for the majority of cases, some more severe causes should not be overlooked, especially in younger children.... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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... Nothing is more challenging to diagnose than a case of low back pain. That is why it is so important to have an extensive list of causes in mind before approaching the patient. Anatomy forms the basis for developing such a list ( Table 45 ).
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... Analgesia, the absence of sensitivity to pain, is an important sign of central nervous system disease, commonly indicating a specific type and location of spinal cord lesion. It always occurs with loss of temperature sensation (thermanesthesia) because these... Emergency interventions ... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pictures
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... Back pain affects an estimated 80% of the population; in fact, it's the second leading reason — after the common cold — for lost time from work. Although this symptom may herald a spondylogenic disorder, it may also result from a... Emergency interventions ... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations
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... Functional, mechanical causes: postural imbalance
Anteroposterior (e.g., pregnancy)
Lateral (e.g., scoliosis, unequal leg lengths)
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... Spinal injuries (without cord damage) include fractures, contusions, and compressions of the vertebral column, usually as a result of head or neck trauma. The real danger lies in possible spinal cord damage. Spinal fractures most commonly occur in... Causes and incidence ... Signs and symptoms ... Diagnosis ... Treatment ... Special considerations
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... Signs and Symptoms Pallor, cyanosis, pain, tachycardia, dyspnea, hypotension, bruising, abdominal distention and rigidity
Treatment (Tx) I.V. fluid replacement, surgical repair, analgesics, antibiotics
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... Trauma is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Emergency trauma care basics include triage; assessing and maintaining airway, breathing, and circulation (the ABCs); protecting the cervical spine; assessing the level of consciousness (LOC); and,... Triage: First things first ... Begin with the ABCs ... Expose the patient ... Head-to-toe assessment ... Stabilize the patient ... Tips on applying a splint ... Special considerations ... Pictures
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... Analgesia, the absence of sensitivity to pain, is an important sign of central nervous system disease, often indicating a specific type and location of spinal cord lesion. It always occurs with loss of temperature sensation (thermoanesthesia) because these sensory nerve impulses travel... Emergency interventions ... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Pictures
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... Back pain affects an estimated 80% of the population; in fact, it’s the second leading reason—after the common cold—for lost time from work. Although this symptom may herald a spondylogenic disorder, it may also result from a genitourinary, GI, cardiovascular, or... Emergency interventions ... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
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... Stephen Davis
Approach Low back pain is a common problem with many causes. The differential diagnosis can be grouped into three over-lapping categories: urgent (“red flag”) diagnoses, structural (musculoskeletal) problems, and... History ... Physical examination ... Testing ... Diagnostic assessment ... Pictures
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... Differential Overview
❑ Musculoligamentous strain
❑ Lumbar disc herniation
❑ Osteoarthritis
❑ ... Diagnostic Approach ... Clinical Findings ... Pictures
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... Various malformations of the spine — including spina bifida, meningocele, and myelomeningocele — result from defective embryonic neural tube closure during the first trimester of pregnancy. Generally, these defects occur in the lumbosacral area, but... Causes ... Signs and symptoms ... Diagnosis ... Treatment ... Special considerations ... Pictures
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... Aside from spinal cord damage, spinal injuries include fractures, contusions, and compressions of the vertebral column. These injuries usually are the result of trauma to the head or neck. The real danger lies in possible spinal cord damage. Spinal fractures... Causes ... Signs and symptoms ... Diagnosis ... Treatment ... Special considerations
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... Analgesia — the absence of sensitivity to pain — can help to identify the type of nervous system lesion and determine its location. For example, thermanesthesia (loss of temperature sensation) without other sensory changes can occur because although all... Assessment ... History ... Physical examination ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching ... Pictures
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... Back pain affects an estimated 80% of the population and is the second leading cause of absence from work. Although this symptom may indicate a spondylogenic disorder, it may also result from a genitourinary, GI, cardiovascular, or neoplastic disorder. Postural imbalance... Assessment ... History ... Physical examination ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching ... Pictures
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... Back pain affects an estimated 80% of the U.S. population; in fact, it’s the second leading reason — after the common cold — for lost time from work. Although this symptom may herald a spondylogenic disorder, it may also result from a... History ... Physical assessment ... Medical causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
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...Although less common in children than inadults, a specific cause can frequently be identified. Principal Causes of Back Pain Congenital Spineanomalies Developmental Scoliosis Scheuermann disease Trauma ... Clinical Features and Diagnosis ... Diagnostic Approach ... References
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... Analgesia, the absence of sensitivity to pain, is an important sign of central nervous system disease, commonly indicating a specific type and location of spinal cord lesion. It always occurs with loss of temperature sensation (thermanesthesia)... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching ... Pictures
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... Back pain affects an estimated 80% of the population; in fact, it's the second leading reason—after the common cold—for lost time from work. Although this symptom may herald a spondylogenic disorder, it may also result from a genitourinary, GI, cardiovascular, or neoplastic... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching
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Nothing is more challenging to diagnose than a case of low back pain.
That is why it is so important to have an extensive list of causes in mind
before approaching the patient. Anatomy forms the basis for
developing such a list (Table 45).
Moving... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
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Safe exercise will prevent most injuries. But if you happen to suffer an injury, what can you do to get back in action as quickly as possible? Join...