What are some red flags for back pain?
Back Pain Red Flag Signs and Symptoms
- Age (being younger than 18 or older than 50)
- Fever or chills.
- Recent illness or surgery.
- Trauma.
- History of cancer.
- Unexplained weight loss.
- Night pain or pain at rest.
- Incontinence.
What red flag symptoms should be ruled out when investigating back pain?
With respect to vertebral fractures, the typical “red flags” include >50 years of age, prolonged corticosteroid use, trauma, and Osteoporosis. High quality evidence investigating the efficacy of these “red flags” correctly identifying serious pathologies has been investigated in studies.
What are red and yellow flags for low back pain?
Any recent trauma, which may raise the possibility of a fracture. “Red flag” signs (see box), which may indicate serious spinal pathology. “Yellow flag” signs, which are factors recognised as having an influence on long term disease outcomes and which may cloud assessment and treatment.
Is age a red flag for back pain?
Back pain is common in all age groups and, according the UK’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)1, there is no correlation between age and prevalence of back pain. Despite this, back pain in the under 20s is seen as a “red flag”.
What are the 10 red flag symptoms?
Examples of red-flag symptoms in the older adult include but are not limited to pain following a fall or other trauma, fever, sudden unexplained weight loss, acute onset of severe pain, new-onset weakness or sensory loss, loss of bowel or bladder function, jaw claudication, new headaches, bone pain in a patient with a …
What does dropping red flags mean?
red flag Add to list Share. A red flag is either a literal warning of some danger, like the signal flag used by a sinking ship, or a figurative warning, like the red flag a candidate’s angry outburst sends to the voters about his temperament.
What are musculoskeletal red flags?
Clinical flags are common to many areas of health – for example, red flags for musculoskeletal disorders, which are indicators of possible serious pathology such as inflammatory or neurological conditions, structural musculoskeletal damage or disorders, circulatory problems, suspected infections, tumours or systemic …
What are the red flags for back pain?
Be sure to keep in mind the red flags for back pain that include: history of IV drug use, history of cancer, night time symptoms, fever, saddle anesthesia, bowel or bladder incontinence, or neurologic symptoms such as weakness or asymmetric reflexes.
What are the signs and symptoms of back pain?
Back Pain Red Flag Signs and Symptoms 1 Age (being younger than 18 or older than 50) 2 Fever or chills 3 Recent illness or surgery 4 Trauma 5 History of cancer 6 Unexplained weight loss 7 Night pain or pain at rest 8 Incontinence 9 Saddle anesthesia (loss of feeling in the buttocks and inner thighs) 10 Weak, numb, or painful leg muscles
What are red flags in a spinal fracture?
This means that certain aspects of your medical history and/or current symptoms may lead your doctor to suspect your pain is related to a fracture of one or more spinal bones. Vertebral fracture is the most common serious condition assessed using red flags.
What are the red flags to look for in cancer patients?
Some red flags may occur together to indicate an underlying condition. Fever, chills, and recent illness may point to a spinal infection, for example. Signs of cancer include unexplained weight loss and experiencing pain at night or at rest.