Screening the Head, Neck, and Back

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers clinical screening procedures for the head, neck, and back, focusing on red flags, systemic pathologies, and physical therapy diagnostic responsibilities.

Low Back Pain Prevalence

The occurrence of this syndrome in adults over a 3-month period is approximately $26.4\%$, which is the highest among common pain syndromes reported.

Predisposing Characteristics

Variables in the Behavioral Model of Healthcare that include demographic factors, social factors, and personal attitudes or beliefs.

Enabling Characteristics

Factors such as income, insurance, and other resources that influence a person's use of physical therapy services.

Need Characteristics

Factors influencing healthcare use related to health status, illness severity, and comorbidities; for instance, patients with a herniated disk are $10\%$ to $16\%$ more likely to see a PT than those with a sprain.

Category I Red Flags

Factors requiring immediate medical attention, including blood in sputum, loss of consciousness, pulsatile abdominal masses, and pathological changes in bowel and bladder.

Category II Red Flags

Factors requiring subjective questioning and precautionary examination, such as age $> 50$, history of cancer, long-term corticosteroid use, and unexplained weight loss.

Category III Red Flags

Factors requiring further physical testing and differentiation analysis, such as abnormal reflexes, radiculopathy, or unexplained limb weakness.

Constitutional Signs and Symptoms

Systemic indicators of illness that include fever, diaphoresis, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, malaise, dizziness, and unexplained weight loss.

Vertebral Osteomyelitis

A major type of spinal infection characterized by focal back pain and insidious onset, with risk factors including recent surgery, infection, or IV drug use.

Female Athlete Triad

A combination of three conditions: disordered eating, amenorrhea (loss of period), and osteoporosis (weakening of bones).

Osteoporosis S&S

Clinical presentation includes sudden or gradual height loss, thoracic kyphosis, increased back pain, and reduced distance between the ribcage and pelvis.

OLDCAAR

A mnemonic used to evaluate clues for serious disease: Onset, Location, Duration, Context, Associated Symptoms, Aggravating Factors, and Relieving Factors.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)

A medical emergency where $50\%$ of patients with a rupture complain primarily of back pain; signs include a pulse in the abdomen, syncope, and cold, pulseless lower extremities.

Canadian C-Spine Rule

A screening tool for alert and stable trauma patients to determine the need for radiography based on high-risk factors, low-risk factors, and the ability to actively rotate the neck $45^{\circ}$.

VBI (Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency)

A condition resulting from congenital, hereditary, or instability issues that can affect blood flow and is tested during cervical spine examinations.

Cervical Myelopathy

The most common cause of non-traumatic paraparesis and tetraparesis; symptoms include clumsy hands, gait disturbance, and upper motor neuron findings like the Babinski Sign.

Intercostal Neuralgia

A banding-like pain used to help differentiate between musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal causes of thoracic spine pain.

Red Flag for Back Pain (PT Progress)

A lack of progress in physical therapy, or an actual decline in the patient's condition, is considered the ultimate indicator of serious pathology.